Puyallup—
The family of a missing Utah woman says her husband was controlling, and she was a victim of domestic violence.The family of Susan Cox Powell wore purple ribbons at a news conference Monday in Puyallup where her parents live. Family friend Shelby Gifford said Powell's husband Josh Powell controlled family finances, buying food and the family car.
The 28-year-old Powell was last seen at her West Valley City, Utah, home on Dec. 7th. Josh Powell told police he saw his wife about 12:30 a.m. as he left with the couple's young sons for a winter camping trip.
Her family has created a foundation to help family members of missing persons get support.
The following is from her foundation website:
The Susan Cox Powell Foundation was established in 2010 by Susan's family and friends. The mission of the Foundation is: To assist families of missing persons by providing no-cost strategic media consulting services to ensure that their loved one's face and name remain in the public eye as long as possible;
To research and catalog resources across the United States that may be helpful to families of missing persons in an effort to create a resource clearinghouse for other families to use in their time of crisis, and;
To support domestic violence prevention efforts and to participate in community- and school-based education about domestic violence prevention with a special emphasis on recognizing the early signs of abuse.
The services of the Susan Cox Powell Foundation will allow family members of missing persons to receive multi-faceted support during the critical first days after their loved one's disappearance. We have found that the opportunity to talk with family members who have endured this unique trial was of tremendous value to us when Susan went missing. We hope to provide the same strong shoulder and caring heart to families of missing persons that others have granted us during this difficult time. Our goal is to help others recognize the early signs of domestic abuse so that their families can be spared from the agony that arises when a loved one goes missing.
Susan's legacy is service. Her example of providing for others and loving her friends and family through their trials has set the standard for the foundation which bears her name. We share her desire to help others and to provide service to those who experience the painful ordeal of a missing loved one.
Susan is the 3rd daughter of Charles and Judy Cox and was 28 years old when she was reported missing on December 7, 2009.
She was born in New Mexico and lived in Alaska before her family settled in Washington State when she was a child. She and her husband later moved to Utah. Susan is a devoted mother to her two small boys and her family and friends know that she would never voluntarily be separated from them.
Susan is an outgoing, optimistic person with a servant's heart and boundless energy. She is characterized by her faith in her Heavenly Father, her determination to provide for her children and her belief that families are forever. Her faith is an example for others, including her two boys.
Susan Powell was last seen in her home in West Valley City, Utah on December 6, 2009. Police were called on the morning of December 7th when Susan's childcare provider became concerned that Susan did not drop her children off as scheduled. It was soon discovered that both Susan and her husband Joshua failed to report for work at their respective jobs.
When no one could reach Susan or Joshua, police searched the family home, fearing that the family may have succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning. No one was in the home.
Joshua Powell eventually returned to the residence later that evening with the two children, but Susan remains missing. Joshua claimed that he took the two children camping at about midnight the night before, leaving Susan asleep or preparing for bed. As a result of their investigation, police have characterized her disappearance as suspicious with criminal overtones.
