Search continues for Madeline Kingsbury; vigil planned Friday

Search continues for Madeline Kingsbury

Search continues for Madeline Kingsbury

Missing person signs with Madeline Kingsbury’s picture remain in store windows in downtown Winona after the 26-year-old mother vanished more than a month ago.

Law enforcement continues to investigate her disappearance.

“It feels like longer than a month, time drags on,” said Megan Kingsbury, Madeline’s sister. “It feels like we just saw and talked to her yesterday.”

Back in the morning of March 31, Megan Kingsbury got a brief text from her sister that was the last time she heard from her.

Winona police say Madeline returned home with the father of her children after dropping them off at daycare.

Investigators say the man told them he left the house in her minivan, and when he returned, she wasn’t there.

The man has denied any involvement in her disappearance, according to a statement sent to KAAL-TV.

“We’re doing different types of searches every day, following up on tips we received,” said Ben Klinger, emergency management coordinator for the Winona County Sheriff’s Office.

Read KSTP’s full Madeline Kingsbury coverage

Over the last month, law enforcement has used sonar to look in waterways, combed fields and searched the sides of roadways.

“Lot of extra hours, everybody’s onboard to help,” Klinger said.

Klinger explains law enforcement are keeping all avenues surrounding Madeline Kingsbury’s disappearance open.

“If you know of abandoned homesteads in Winona, Houston, Fillmore county area, abandoned wells, abandoned cisterns, especially close to roadways, if you continue to report those to us, or Crime Stoppers,” Klinger said.

“The hope we are going to get some answers pretty soon keeps us all motivated, and hopefully being able to hold accountable the person or persons that had something to do with this,” Megan Kingsbury said.

Megan Kingsbury said the support from the community has been “heartwarming.”

A prayer vigil is planned for Friday at 7:30 p.m., at Veterans Memorial Park in Winona called “Shining a Light for Madeline. ”