Police say they are very concerned for Shawnee Morita Inyallie, last seen in Hope July 11, as her disappearance for this length of time is ‘out of character’ for her.
Police are conducting a ‘thorough’ search for Inyallie, said Cpl. Darryl Peppler with the Hope RCMP, including a search of the Fraser River and contact with the Hope and Area Transition Society, Fraser Health and Inyallie’s family. On July 21 police appealed to the public for help in locating Inyallie, who was last seen by a family member in Hope two weeks ago.
“It’s a missing person file, we’re putting resources into it. We’re keeping in contact with the family. We had search and rescue go out on the river (Sunday),” Cpl. Peppler said.
“We’re following up at the homeless camp and with HATS, the Hope and area transition people…We’re following up with Fraser Health, make sure she’s not in hospital care anywhere.”
Cpl. Peppler said Hope Volunteer Search and Rescue searched parts of the Fraser River in the immediate vicinity of Hope, including around Bristol Island and out to the airpark, as well as on the other side of the river around Croft Island.
Cpl. Peppler said the search is thorough as it is ‘out of character’ for no one to have seen Inyallie for this many days.
“As police, when she’s around we would have daily contact with her — whether it’s a file because she’s out panhandling or it’s just a street check. But even family haven’t heard from her, and that’s where the concern comes from,” he said.
Cpl. Peppler said the RCMP has no further information as to her whereabouts, saying she could be just out with friends or something more sinister could have happened to her.
Inyallie has family in Prince George, one of whom is heading down to Hope to assist with the search, so it is possible she could be on her way there.
“Police and family are concerned for Shawnee’s well-being and believe she may be in need of medical assistance,” Cpl. Mike Rail, spokesperson with the Upper Fraser Valley Regional Detachment of the RCMP, stated July 21.
Inyallie, 29, is described by police as an aboriginal female with black hair and brown eyes, 163 centimetres tall (5’4) weighing 54 kilograms (120 pounds).
Anyone with knowledge of her whereabouts is asked to contact Hope RCMP at 604-869-7750 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
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