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Search crews continue to look for missing Illinois woman

Anyone with information is asked to call the Macoupin County Sheriff's Office.
Credit: Smith, Jeanie
Photo provided by the Macoupin County Sheriff's Office

MACOUPIN COUNTY, Ill. – The Macoupin County Sheriff's Department has requested the Major Case Squad to help in the search for a missing woman.

Search crews will be searching the Royal Lakes area starting at 8 a.m. on Tuesday.

According to a missing person report, Denita M. Hedden, 37, left a home in Royal Lakes around 11 p.m. after returning from a St. Louis area casino. Police said she was last seen wearing a maroon hoodie sweatshirt with orange sleeves and blue jeans. Denita is 5-foot tall and weighs approximately 110 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes.

Denita Hedden disappeared almost two weeks ago on her birthday according to her brother Raymond Dyer.

“We've always been close, she always contacts me. But I texted her happy birthday and I never got a response,” Dyer said.

That’s when Dyer said he knew something wasn’t right. He said the last time anyone said they saw Hedden was on the street where she lives, dropping off her car to get into another one. Ever since then she hasn’t been seen and no one has been able to contact her.

Major Case Squad Lieutenant Kristopher Tharp said incidents like this are unusual for such a small community.

“I would consider it to be suspicious based on the duration and the fact that she's been gone so long. This is a young mother, somebody that we know cares about her family, she has people that care about her,” Tharp said.

Dyer said Hedden's four children live with their father, but that didn't stop her from caring for them. Hedden's oldest daughter was the last person to speak with her the night of her birthday, and no one has seen or talked to her since.

“She's a caring mother she's always contacting everybody in the family. Her kids want her home, I mean everybody wants her back,” Dyer said.

Hedden’s family has put up posters in the area hoping someone has answers. Her family is heartbroken about her disappearance but optimistic that she will safely return.

The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis has joined the efforts along with the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Office to help find Denita Hedden.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Macoupin County Sheriff's Office at (217) 854-3135, ext. 1 or the Major Case Squad at (618) 585-3510.

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