Jessica is home.
Friends and family of Jessica Patrick drove her body back to Smithers on Thursday in a convoy from Prince George.
The 18-year-old mother was reported midding on Sept. 3, three days after she was last seen at a Smithers hotel.
RCMP announced Sunday that human remains had been found near the Bulkley Valley community and did not identify the victim. But her family responded by holding a vigil attended by about 200 people on Sunday night.
People lined up along Highway 16 in communities all along the way to greet them and show support.
Jessica was back Thursday afternoon. About 200 were at Goat Park at Highway 16 and Main Street to show solidarity, many shouting “Justice for Jessica” as the line of at least a dozen vehicles passed by.
Solidarity by Woodmere Nursery (5:30), Telkwa (9:20) and Smithers (22:00)
Jessica’s father, Michael Balczer, thanked the community of all peoples who live in northern B.C. for their outpouring of support.
“My daughter’s opened my eyes. She’s opened my eyes to this community of Smithers. I didn’t really know there was so much compassion in Smithers, as well as from Prince George all the way to Smithers,” he said.
Balczer said there was a unity to how everyone is coming together after the tragedy that took away his daughter.
“What the elders [said] to me is Jessica’s really powerful right now, and in her power she’s using it to gather these people: all kinds of nations, no matter if you’re white, black, Hispanic — we’re all here as one; we’re all here as equal,” he said.
When asked if he wanted to say anything else, he again thanked the community for its support and finished with the call sounded by many this day: “Justice for Jessica.”
Drumming in Prince George Wednesday
As of late Thursday afternoon, neither the BC Coroner’s Office nor the RCMP confirmed the human remains found last weekend belong to Jessica, where the remains were found, or any circumstances surrounding her death.
The Interior News has asked repeatedly for more information and was told Thursday morning that a news release from RCMP media relations and Smithers RCMP would be forthcoming after approval.
All the RCMP has confirmed so far is human remains were found and a major crimes unit was investigating.
Family and other sources confirmed the body is hers and that she was found on Hudson Bay Mountain.
The 18-year-old leaves behind a young daughter.
A memorial being held at the Dze L K’Ant Friendship Centre hall on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. is open to the public.
– with a file from the Canadian Press
