Second-grade teacher found dead in Kansas after being reported missing
By Nick Sloan
Click here for updates on this story
EMPORIA, Kansas (KMBC) — A missing person case near Emporia ended in tragedy this weekend, as police confirmed a second-grade teacher was found dead after disappearing overnight.
Friends, family and the community are now mourning the loss of Rebecca Rauber, remembering her as a devoted educator whose impact reached far beyond her classroom.
Emporia police said officers received a missing persons report for Rauber early Saturday morning, just hours after she was last seen leaving Town Royal Bar alone.
Investigators said she did not have her phone, purse or jacket with her.
“It was not the best outcome. The fact that we were able to locate her, I hope, can provide some type of comfort to her family and loved ones that she was located and we know what we believe happened to her,” said Capt. Lisa Hayes with the Emporia Police Department.
Hayes said police initially tracked Rauber on video around 11:37 p.m. Friday.
“We had had her on video at 11:37 p.m. walking north on Neosho, and that’s where the investigation kind of stalled,” Hayes said.
A break in the case came Sunday afternoon when new residential surveillance video surfaced along Fourth Avenue.
“If it weren’t for that video, the residential video along Fourth Avenue, I’m not sure that we would have found her yesterday,” Hayes said.
Later that day, police confirmed the outcome many feared.
Rauber’s body was found in a wooded area, covered with snow, as bitter cold temperatures settled over the region.
“When it’s the extreme weather, that’s where it really took a turn for the worse,” Hayes said.
Police said Rauber likely died of hypothermia.
For those closest to her, the waiting was agonizing. Cara-Lisa Leatherman, a close friend who lives hundreds of miles away, said the reality set in as temperatures dropped.
“You always want the best outcome in any situation. Emporia is not that big, so you just hope for the best,” Leatherman said.
“My heart sank sitting there next to my husband and we knew the temperature was not good,” she added.
Leatherman said Rauber was more than a friend.
She was family.
“I don’t know if you know, a lot of people knew just how smart she was. She was always there for my kids, like she was always giving guidance to our kids, even so she was fluent in Spanish,” Leatherman said.
She said Rauber’s personality was impossible to miss.
“Her laugh was just infectious. You always knew when she was around, and that’s the way she needs to be remembered.”
Rauber taught second grade at an elementary school in Emporia.
In a statement, Emporia Public Schools said the district is grieving alongside her loved ones.
“Our hearts go out to Ms. Rauber’s family, friends, students, and everyone who was touched by her life and dedication to education. She was a valued member of our school community, and her loss is felt deeply across our district,” the statement said.
Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.