Marilane Carter is the wife of Adam Carter, pastor of Leawood Baptist Church in Kansas. Marilane is also a mother of three small children, and at the current moment she is missing. Adam Carter is asking for the public’s help locating his wife, whom he hasn’t heard from in a week now.
“I’ve been telling myself this week, ‘Come on Adam, just wake up.’ It’s a nightmare. That’s the only way I can describe it,” Adam Carter told The Alabama Baptist.
Marilane left her home in Overland Park, Kansas on August 1st around 8pm. She was headed to Birmingham, Alabama to seek treatment for a mental health issue. Adam last heard from Marilane on Sunday, August 2nd around 7:45pm. At the time of their conversation, she was about to cross the I-55 bridge heading into Tennessee. It appears her cell phone has since died or been turned off, and no one has heard from her.
Adam expressed regret that he agreed to let Marilane embark on the drive from Kansas to Alabama at night. He told the Alabama Baptist, “I have beat myself up over that. If I could have somehow kept her home, maybe I could have kept her safe, but she had been having a hard time sleeping and said she might as well drive on down to Birmingham.” He also said he offered to take her to a clinic in the Kansas City area, but Marilane said she would rather go to a hospital in Birmingham where she had previously worked. The hospital in Birmingham is also close to Marilane’s parents’ house. She and Adam have done the drive between Kansas and Alabama several times to visit family.
An update to the Facebook page Find Marilane from Friday, August 7, 2020 asks for prayer and practical help:
We are now approx 120 hours since any confirmed communication with Marilane Carter. Family, friends, and hundreds of thousands of complete strangers are praying, sharing the story, and looking for Marilane. News media has been fantastic in publicizing our efforts to find Marilane nationwide.
To all of you who have offered to assist in searching, more info coming soon on how you can help.
RIGHT NOW:
-the area of the last confirmed ping of her phone near I-55 and the Arkansas Weigh Station / Big River Crossings has been searched by ground and air (nothing found yet)
-the tips of a possible sighting of Marilane in South Haven, MS were investigated by law enforcement (nothing found)
-all leads are being followed-up on in real-time – no lead is insignificant
-today we shared video from the Quality Inn in West Plains, MO showing Marilane and her vehicle
-preparations are underway to search the river area near the Big River Crossings / bridge (more info coming soon on this)
-24 hour prayer has been established and we are asking God to reveal where Marilane is to us
Please pray God orchestrates a plan to bring Marilane to safety. Marilane’s husband – Adam – their three kiddos – and the entire family feel your prayers and are encouraged by progress so far in the search.
Another update on Saturday asked those interested to join a 24/7 prayer effort to find Marilane. The family has set up a virtual prayer vigil (access code is Psalm 91).
Marilane is 5′ 8″, 130 lbs, brown hair, green eyes and was driving a 2011 dark gray GMC Acadia with a Kansas tag — 194LFY.
The public is asked to call 205-390-1003 if they have any information or 911 if she is found.
Meanwhile, the pastor and father of three is in Birmingham, holding on to hope that Marilane will show up there. Adam says Leawood Baptist Church has been incredibly supportive, telling him not to worry about his pastoral duties at the present moment.
Adam is also hoping Marilane will be found and returned to the family before the couple’s youngest child’s 3rd birthday on August 17th. Speaking to KMBC, Adam said, “She’s a loving mother, loving wife. We have a great relationship. I miss her terribly. I want her home. I want her home with our kids.”
