Audrey Backeberg, Who Went Missing For Over 60 Years, Found ‘Alive And Well’

A woman named, Audrey Backeberg, from Wisconsin who vanished over 60 years ago has recently been found “alive and well.”

Audrey Backeberg was just 20 years old when she disappeared from her residence in Reedsburg, Wisconsin, in July 1962, according to a news release from the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office.

Reportedly, Backeberg left her family’s home on July 7, 1962, and the babysitter for the family stated that the pair hitchhiked to Madison, Wisconsin, before boarding a Greyhound bus to Indianapolis, Indiana, as indicated by the Wisconsin Department of Justice.

The babysitter, whose name was not disclosed, mentioned that she last saw Backeberg, then a mother of two, wandering from the bus stop.

Backeberg never returned home and was out of contact until now.

Earlier this year, a detective was assigned to examine the cold case thoroughly, and “through diligent investigative work,” they revealed new details about the disappearance.

“Further investigation has shown that Ms. Backeberg’s disappearance was by her own choice and not due to any criminal activity or foul play,” stated the sheriff’s office. However, they did not specify where she was located.

According to officials, Backeberg, now 82, resides outside Wisconsin.

In a conversation with ABC affiliate WSIN, Detective Isaac Hanson, who located Backeberg, explained that he could track her down through her sister’s ancestry.com account.

“That was quite instrumental in finding death records, census reports, and a variety of data,” he remarked. “Ultimately, we found an address … So I contacted the local sheriff’s department and said, ‘Hey, this lady lives at this address. Can you send someone to check on her?’… Ten minutes later, she called me, and we spoke for 45 minutes.”

Hanson mentioned that an abusive spouse might have influenced her original decision to leave her home.

He noted that Backeberg sounded “happy. Confident in her choice, without regrets.”

“The Sheriff’s Office wants to commend the efforts of Investigators, both past and present,” it stated in a news release. “Despite the considerable difficulties that many cold cases present, this outcome highlights the significance of ongoing work and the Sheriff’s Office’s commitment to providing answers to families and the community.”