Community Aid Sought in Unresolved Disappearances of Caleb Hakala and Chelsea Cobo

Randy Harris begged for help as Tony Mathis urged people to check their home security cameras for possible footage of Caleb on the night he went missing. The search intensified for Caleb Hakala, who disappeared from his Minnesota apartment complex in November 2018 at age 34. As authorities continue investigating, Harris and Mathis have turned to social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter as well as local news outlets for leads on the whereabouts of Hakala, whose disappearance has been deemed suspicious by law enforcement officials due to his history with mental illness and struggles with alcohol addiction. While some have questioned whether there could be foul play involved in Hakala’s disappearance given these circumstances, Harris insists that any information related to his son is crucial at this point as the investigation continues.
Meanwhile, Chelsea Cobo’s adoptive mother, Rose Cobo, announced her plans for a networking app aimed at sparing other families from enduring trauma similar to hers following eight years of unsolved disappearance cases involving her daughter and others like her. The 2016 case surrounding the mysterious vanishing of Brooklyn woman Chelsea Cobo remains unresolved despite extensive police investigations that included interviews with witnesses, searches for evidence, and reviews of surveillance footage. Rose Cobo suspects foul play or trafficking may be involved in this disappearance given a suspicious voicemail left by an unknown man claiming to have dropped her daughter off but denying any further involvement thereafter. While detectives investigating the case refused comment on claims made by witnesses, one individual who lived at the house where Cobo was last seen reportedly told Rose that police were already aware of her daughter’s disappearance when she herself learned about it. The NYPD declined to provide a statement regarding this claim as well.
During a recent screening in East Hampton New York of ABC and Hulu’s documentary “Missing: Chelsea Michelle Cobo,” audience members broke down in tears, with one woman covering her face behind her fingers while another friend comforted Rose Cobo during the panel discussion that followed. The event highlighted concerns about secrecy surrounding such cases as well as a call for increased public engagement via networking apps like the new 911Missing initiative championed by Cobo and others working alongside missing person’s families in hopes of hastening resolution to these troubling mysteries. As Rose noted, “It’s not only where you are; it will travel with you.” This app could help users access information about a disappearance from anywhere within a certain radius, making it easier for individuals and organizations alike to stay informed on missing person cases in their communities as well as those farther away.