‘Mollie is with someone that she knows’: Dad of missing college student says she’s alive and with someone ‘in over their head’
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The father of missing University of Iowa student, Mollie Tibbetts, thinks his daughter is alive and with someone she knows, FOX News reports.

Rob Tibbetts, dad of 20-year-old Mollie Tibbetts, remains in Brooklyn, Iowa, to help find his daughter after traveling from California shortly after she disappeared. Although Mollie has been missing since July 18, Tibbetts said he is not giving up and has hope his daughter will be found alive.

“It’s totally speculation on my part, but I think Mollie is with someone that she knows, that is in over their head. That there was some kind of misunderstanding about the nature of their relationship and at this point they don’t know how to get out from under this.”

Tibbetts also said he thinks Mollie left willingly that whoever she’s with never entered her boyfriend’s home with the intention of hurting her. Mollie was dog-sitting for her boyfriend, Dalton Jack, when she vanished from the quiet neighborhood on the outskirts of Brooklyn.

“The longer we go without finding Mollie’s body, the more hopeful we are that she’s alive somewhere and going through something that she can survive,” Tibbetts continued.

In the meantime, a reward fund for Mollie has reached a staggering $260,000, raised by volunteer donors throughout the nation. The family stated that the reward is intended for Mollie’s safe return. Mollie’s mother, Laura Calderwood, also feels that her daughter is still alive and hopes the reward money will convince someone to do the right thing.

Timeline of Mollie’s disappearance

July 16-17

  • Mollie’s boyfriend saw her for the last time on July 16, before leaving town to work at a Dubuque construction site with his brother, around 100 miles away from Brooklyn.
  • On July 17, Dalton and his brother, who lives with him, drove to work. Mollie agreed to dog-sit while he was gone.
  • At around 5:30 p.m. on July 17, Mollie’s brother, Jake Tibbetts, who shares a car with her, dropped her off at Dalton’s home. Mollie stayed alone while watching the dogs.

July 18

  • Investigators report another neighbor reported Mollie out for a jog at around 7:30 p.m. on July 18.
  • Mollie had plans to go to her mother’s house for dinner on the evening on July 18. She never showed up.
  • At 10 p.m. on July 18, Dalton opened the SnapChat message from Mollie. He said it looked like she took the photo while indoors. It’s unclear when Mollie took the picture but detectives think she took it at some point on Wednesday.

July 19

  • Jake Tibbetts, who has been cleared as a suspect, sends Mollie a text message at 7:30 a.m., asking if she needed the car for work. The text message was not read.
  • Dalton sends Mollie a text message, wishing her a good morning. Mollie does not read the text message.
  • Mollie’s mother, Laura Calderwood, sends Mollie several text messages throughout the afternoon. All text messages remain unanswered.
  • Jake Tibbetts calls Laura Calderwood and says Mollie never made it to work at a daycare center. Laura calls the police.

July 20

  • The Facebook group, “Finding Mollie Tibbetts,” was created. It currently has over 40,000 members.
  • Hundreds of people show up in the Brooklyn area to search for Mollie.
  • The Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office announces that tips should directed to its office.
  • The University of Iowa released a statement on Twitter that the school is also monitoring the incident and looking for any helpful information.

July 22

  • Authorities announce Mollie is still missing and that nothing was found during the searches.

July 23

  • Dalton tells ABC he’s optimistic about Mollie’s return.
  • Laura Calderwood says her daughter is an “outgoing, fun, loving life, loving person.”
  • Poweshiek County Sheriff Thomas Kriegel announces that no one from the “tight-knit” community in Brooklyn has been missing this long.

July 25

  • Investigators continue to follow up with tips and leads.
  • The family spreads the search even further by distributing flyers across the state.
  •  Kriegel indicates Mollie could have possibly been abducted.

July 26

  • Investigators search two hog farms after following up on tips, but the searches yield no results.
  • Wayne Cheney is questioned by the FBI.
  • Authorities search Cheney’s home and cellphone.

July 27

  • Iowa Department of Public Safety released a statement announcing that there are still no suspects but authorities will continue to pursue leads and investigate.
  • A neighbor tells a local media outlet that he spotted Mollie “walking nonchalantly” down the street.

August 2

  • As authorities searched an area close to the Lincoln Wildfire Reserve in Brooklyn, Iowa, someone mowing their lawn nearby discovered a red a shirt.
  • The shirt was turned over to the FBI for evidence processing.
  • FBI reportedly asked Cheney to take a lie detector test. He refused.

August 3

  • An FBI agent goes to Cheney’s house for a second round of questioning.

Mollie has long brown hair and brown eyes, weighs around 120 pounds and stands 5-feet-2 inches tall. She was last seen wearing running shoes, a pink sports bra, and dark running shorts.

Anyone with any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 800-452-1111.

[Feature Photo: Mollie Tibbetts/Handout]