Mengqi Ji Elledge river search ‘has not ended,’ CPD says

Investigators said they are not finished searching for Mengqi Ji Elledge at the Cooper County bank of the Lamine River.

CPD has been working with other agencies for seven days now, looking for the Columbia mom who’s been missing for more than two months now. They were expected back in the water on Thursday.

Excavators have been clearing debris from the search site to give divers more access.

Jeff Pitts, a CPD spokesperson, says investigators are looking day-by-day at resources the department will need for each step of the process:

“The search for Mengqi Ji Elledge and the investigation into her disappearance has not ended. Detectives and command staff evaluate the resources needed each day and prepare for what is needed the next day.

Part of that evaluation process is determining what resources and personnel are going to be needed in order to accomplish the next step in the investigation.

Currently, we are still conducting the same debris removal operation in order to give divers and other personnel access for exploration.

This search consists of multiple agencies and variables encountered on a day by day basis. Each part of the investigation involves tailoring resources for specific tasks to be as efficient and safe as possible.

Anyone with additional information about this incident is asked to please contact the Columbia Police Department at 573.874.7652 or CrimeStoppers at 573.875.TIPS (8477) to remain anonymous.” — Emailed statement by Jeff Pitts, Columbia Police Department

Prosecutors suspect husband Joseph Elledge in the disappearance, but he’s only in jail on child abuse charges right now.