Nearly 300 people gathered on short notice in the cold drizzle Sunday afternoon in Smithers to honour another woman who lost her life, 18-year-old mother Jessica Patrick.
RCMP would not confirm Sunday if it was Patrick’s body that was found as they are waiting on confirmation of identity from the coroner’s office. The only information police would confirm is that human remains were found.
Jessica’s family told the crowd at Bovill Square that family members were involved in finding her body on Hudson Bay Mountain on the weekend.
Traditional and non-traditional songs and prayers were shared between the Wet’suwet’en, Gitxsan and non-Indigenous community members gathered.
Jessica was a member of Lake Babine Nation.
Family, friends and neighbours spoke about Jessica, the scourge of drug dealers, and the need to make things better for all our children. With several officers gathered in the back of the crowd to show their respect, family members spoke of the appreciation they had for all the help the police gave in the search for Jessica.
A loud shout also went out calling for justice in this case.
