A 46-year-old mother has been missing for a month and now her son says she is dead, Arizona officials said. On May 22, Hope Tucker was with her adult son in Buckeye when her car broke down on a highway, according to a Facebook post dated June 23, Buckeye Police Department.
Tucker and his son, who police say has “limited communication,” left the car to seek shade, authorities said. Later that day, officers found the car abandoned on the road and it was towed. Police had contact with Tucker’s son on May 24 after receiving reports of indecent exposure.
He was evaluated by firefighters and taken to a hospital, where he remained for about a month. A relative picked the man up from the hospital and asked him where his mother was. KPNX The son then told the relative what happened on May 22 and the relative called Phoenix police.
They relayed the information to Buckeye police and a search began, the outlet reported. While speaking to investigators, Tucker’s son said he saw her close her eyes and stop talking, Buckeye police spokeswoman Carissa Planalp said. McClatchy News In an email, Tucker’s son believes he saw his mother die, Planalp said.
Police said Tucker “may have suffered a life-threatening medical emergency” shortly after abandoning the vehicle. Buckeye officers attempted to ping Tucker’s phone but were unsuccessful, officials said. On June 24, drone operators searched a “desert area” with the help of search dogs and Gila River deputies, according to an Instagram post from the Buckeye Police Department.
Officers said they were paying “close attention to location cues” Tucker’s son gave during the search. She is 6’3″, weighs 220 pounds and was last seen wearing a black T-shirt, white shorts and purple shoes, deputies said.
Anyone with information is asked to call 911, police said. Buckeye is about 40 miles southwest of Phoenix. Hope Tucker’s disappearance has shaken the community, as her family and law enforcement officials desperately search for answers.
The circumstances surrounding her disappearance and her son’s harrowing account have added urgency to the search efforts. As the investigation continues, authorities are still hoping to find clues that might shed light on what happened to Tucker.