Teacher with MCS Vanishes, Washington State

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Lake s Woman Vanishes

Posted: 6:45 am PDT March 30, 2009Updated: 4:37 pm PDT March 30, 2009

LAKE STEVENS, Wash. -- A 62-year-old Lake s woman is the focus of an

intense search after she was discovered missing Thursday afternoon.

Former teacher and mother Connie Koch was scheduled to fly to a medical

clinic in Dallas on Thursday to be treated for multiple chemical sensitivity, a

condition that made Koch acutely sensitive to odors given off by chemicals and

furniture.

Her family said Koch was supposed to fly with oxygen tanks but was nervous

about how'd she'd react on an airplane.

_See Web site_ (http://findconniemarie.blogspot.com/) set up by Koch's

family.

_http://findconniemarie.blogspot.com/_ (http://findconniemarie.blogspot.com/)

" She could have oxygen on the plane, but she'd still be trapped on the plane

for however long it takes to get to Texas -- five hours -- and that's an

environment that she couldn't control, " said Koch's son, Tim nsen.

On Thursday afternoon, a relative discovered that Koch's home was empty with

her suitcase still packed and her car missing.

" The only things she took with her were her purse, her phone and her two

oxygen tanks. So we could think that maybe she decided she didn't want to take

the plane and she's driving right now, " nsen.

Adding to the mystery, police said Koch sent a text message to a relative

that said " look at s Pass. " Since then, sheriff's deputies from three

counties and volunteers searched the mountains by foot and helicopter where the

message was sent, but found nothing.

Volunteers are planning to pass out _fliers_

(http://www.kirotv.com/download/2009/0330/19049416.pdf) about Koch along U.S. 2

between Everett and

Leavenworth, said reporter Horcher.

" She's constantly in contact with people, so that's why this is so strange

to us, because she doesn't normally stop communicating, " said nsen ..

Koch taught at area schools for 20 years and was active in her church and a

helped out at a food bank.

Koch's car, a white 2005 Toyota Corolla with license No. 971VOL, is also

missing.

Authorities ask anyone who sees Koch or her car to call 911 or Lake s

police.

Flyer

_http://www.kirotv.com/download/2009/0330/19049416.pdf_

(http://www.kirotv.com/download/2009/0330/19049416.pdf)

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