Illinois Family Of 4 Missing For Over 2 Months; FBI Joins Investigation

An Illinois couple and their two children have been missing for over two months. Police said the husband was previously ordered to stay away from the family following a domestic violence incident.

Stephen Lutz, 44, his wife Monica Lutz, 34, and their children – Nicholas, 9, and Aiden, 11 – were reported missing on Feb. 10, weeks after the father was released from jail on bond in the domestic violence case. Stephen was ordered to stay away from his wife, children and the family home. The missing complaint was filed by Stephen's adult daughter, Brittany Lutz, NYPost reported.

Stephen was charged with domestic battery and had a history of drug use and mental illness, ABC 7 Chicago reported.

"They've all [relatives] said things that are very alarming, not just that there's a possible split personality disorder, believed to have all the signs of schizophrenia. There have been drug use charges since 2006 on Stephen," Gia Wright, of the Missing Persons Awareness Network, told the outlet.

The family was last seen leaving their home in Newton, Jasper County, in a U-Haul attached to a vehicle in the middle of the night, the organization said in a statement.

Police issued an "Attempt to Locate" alert on Feb. 14, four days after the family was initially reported missing.

"We began an investigation which led us to believe they have left the state," Newton Police Department said in a press release.

The cellphones of the couple were last pinged in Richmond, Indiana. Brittany said she received a text message from Aiden saying the family was going on vacation, but he wasn't sure of the location.

"On Feb. 14 I did text my father Stephen and said if they needed to get away, I could take the boys and just get them back to a normal life. He said they have a normal life, they aren't together, and he's not allowed to be around them," Brittany told WGN-TV.

As the children were homeschooled, there had been no request for the transfer of school records. The residence's electrical service was cut off soon after the family's disappearance.

"I'm also worried that they haven't been alive since the tenth," Brittany added.

When Wright and her team went to investigate, they found the Lutz residence in disarray.

"All the clothes are everywhere. Clothes in the laundry. There were clothes in a suitcase that was half open, it definitely wasn't locked, and you have a mix of his clothes and her clothes in there but none of the child's stuff looks like it's missing," she said.

Police noted they are taking necessary precautions to ensure the family isn't in danger.

"Though at the time we had no evidence to suggest immediate danger for any of the parties we are taking the necessary precautions due to the length of time the parties have been missing," the press release read.

Newton police Chief Riley Britton said Illinois State Police and the FBI have joined the investigation.

"I will say it's been challenging having a whole family as missing," Britton said.

A reward of $20,000 has been announced for any information that can help in locating the family. People with any information can contact the Missing Persons Awareness Network at 312-620-0788, or call the Newton Police Department at 618-783-8478.