Missing: Bethany Ann Decker

The family of a missing pregnant Ashburn woman on Wednesday pleaded for the public’s help in finding their daughter.

Bethany Anne Decker, 21, was last seen by her family on Jan. 29 at a gathering in Columbia, Md. Her family reported her missing on Feb. 19.

“We want Bethany safe. We love her and we want to know that she is OK,” said Bethany Decker’s mother, Kim Nelson.

Bethany Decker, who is five months pregnant and the mother of a 17-month-old son, was attending classes at George Mason University and working full-time as a waitress when her family lost contact with her.

Her son was living with her parents in Fredericksburg while she finished her education.

Her husband, Emile Decker, 21, is serving in Afghanistan with the Army National Guard.

Investigators said Wednesday the couple, who has been married about 18 months, was together from at least Jan. 18 to Jan. 23 during a trip to Hawaii when Emile Decker was home on leave.

He left Feb. 2 to return to Afghanistan. His wife did not see him off, investigators said.

Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Ken Pratt said investigators talked to Emile Decker at 10 a.m. today.

“He is cooperating. He’s answered several questions for us now,” Pratt said.

Pratt did not have details of the conversation with Emile Decker, but said investigators were trying to establish a more concrete timeline of when Bethany Decker was last seen based on information from her husband.

Emile Decker has not been named a suspect or a person of interest in the case.

“I don’t want to limit him saying he’s a suspect or a person of interest at this time. We’re playing catch up on an investigation of a missing person, therefore, we would like to talk to as many people as possible,” Pratt said.

Investigators have made contact with U.S. military officials to possibly bring Emile Decker back home.

“He wants to cooperate fully. He was very concerned of Bethany’s whereabouts, condition. Obviously, being the father of their child he wants to hear a good resolution to this,” Pratt said.

The investigator said there is no evidence or indication that Bethany Decker is not alive.

Loudoun County deputies searched the nearby woods for clues as part of a routine investigation near her Orchard Grass Terrace apartment on March 1, but came up empty handed, Pratt said.

Investigators are combing through Bethany Decker’s cell phone records, bank and Facebook accounts for evidence of her whereabouts, Pratt said.
All activity on those accounts stopped on Jan. 29, investigators said.

Bethany Decker usually was in contact with some member of her family every day, either through phone calls, text or Facebook messages, her mother said.

As the days passed with no contact, her family said they didn’t begin to worry right away since the 21-year-old had such a hectic lifestyle.

It was only when her grandparents stopped by her Ashburn apartment on Feb. 19 and found her vehicle still parked at the complex that they began to worry, her grandmother Evelyn Bayles said.

“We just had a feeling. We were concerned,” Bayles said.

Bethany Decker’s family describe her as “strong, outgoing and determined” woman.

“She is my lip gloss and flip flop girl,” Nelson said.

Bethany Decker is about 4 feet 11 inches tall, weighs 130 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Inv. Mack Halley at 703-777-0475.