Wednesday, 1/23/2008
8:30 a.m. – A WRCS family pulls into the preschool loop and calls Mr. Sommers to the van. A young student in the backseat wants to tell him something… “Mr. Sommers, we’ve been praying for you and your cow.” What a sweet thing to hear!

4:05 p.m. – Mr. Sommers receives a message from the front office: The Newport News Police Department found Libby, and are in the process of bringing her back in an officer’s personal vehicle (the city has limited cow-moving equipment). Channel 13 calls as well, and plans to send a crew to cover Libby’s homecoming. Mr. Sommers goes to meet the police and help unload her from the back of the truck. WRCS patrons see Libby en route and make calls to report a sighting. Thanks to the officers for driving Libby home! She’s been through an ordeal, with several new cracks and missing her bucket (part of the milking feature). Many stopped by or honked and waved to welcome her home.

7:00 p.m. – Two Newport News Police detectives visit Mr. Sommers at home, bringing Libby’s missing milk bucket. One of the detectives has a daughter at Warwick River Christian School. Mr. Sommers inquired as to what they did wrong to be assigned to the cow case. Both laughed, and said it’s been an enjoyable case for the police to solve. They received a phone tip (a “hot cow tip” was the phrase) that led them to an apartment complex, where Libby was found in an apartment bedroom. They said that several young men were being charged with the crime. Mr. Sommers asked for leniency, and expressed a strong preference that they be given community service work at the school in lieu of jail or fines. The school has a lot of landscaping that needs to be done, which seems like fitting restitution for taking Libby from her usual pasture. The lead detective assures him that she will pass that preference on to the Commonwealth and that, given the lack of prior records by any of the young men involved, the Commonwealth may be open to that option.

9:30 p.m. – The anonymous young man calls Mr. Sommers again from a pay phone. He apologizes about 5 times, and expresses willingness to do restitution work. Mr. Sommers thanks him for the offer and sentiment.
After the call, Mr. Sommers changes the “Rustled!” sign to read, “Thanks!”

Tuesday, 1/15/2008
9:00 a.m. – Mr. Sommers attends a meeting of the Hampton Roads Association of Christian Schools (HRACS), where several administrators approach him about Libby’s abduction.

1:00 p.m. – Returning from the meeting, Mr. Sommers finds a news crew from WTKR, Channel 3, waiting to talk to him. They interview him in front of the school sign. The news story is aired several times over the next day.

Monday, 1/14/08
10:45 a.m. – Mr. Sommers is in front of the school changing the sign when he notices someone in his yard. After finishing the sign, he checks on the visitors and finds that a neighbor has called WVEC, Channel 13, to report the missing cow. The reporter talks to neighbors and Mr. Sommers. Mr. Sommers returns to the school, and then sends pictures of Libby being milked at school events to the TV station. He also posts a message and milk carton graphic depicting the missing cow on the Daily Press website. The TV news story is run a number of times over the next day, and Warwick River Christian School is mentioned each time.

7:00 p.m. – An anonymous young man called from a pay phone to let Mr. Sommers know he was part of the group that took Libby as a prank. They planned to return her, but are scared after seeing all the media coverage of the abduction. Mr. Sommers spent a few minutes explaining that, as Mennonites and Christians, we are more into restoration and making things right than in retribution and punishment. In other words, Mr. Sommers told the young man that if he and his friends would safely return Libby overnight, the family would not see or hear anything and would let the authorities know that the no one is interested in pursuing the matter. The young man said he talked to his dad already, and his dad was ready to help return Libby. But the young man had to first convince his cohorts who actually have Libby in their possession.

Sunday, 1/13/2008
9:30 a.m. – Mr. Sommers learns that it was not anyone from church. A member of the local neighborhood watch encouraged him to contact police about the missing cow. Later that afternoon, Mr. Sommers gathers information and pictures then calls the Newport News Police Department to report the rustling.