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Update: Missing teen located

Police investigate possible sighting of foster child Amy Char, 16, missing three nights in the dense forest east of Williams Lake.
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Police as well as search and rescue members are searching for missing teen

UPDATE: Amy Char has been found. We will provide more details as soon as they are available.

 

Original story - With temperatures below zero last night, Williams Lake RCMP, First Nations volunteers and Central Cariboo Search (CCSR) and Rescue crews are intensifying their search efforts for a 16-year-old girl missing three nights now.

Today (Wednesday), search efforts are being focused in the 150 Mile House/Miocene area after a possible sighting of the teen Tuesday at about 3 p.m. on Kengin Road, off the Likely Road, was reported to police.

"That gives me hope," said Staff Sgt. Del Byron, whose detachment has been leading the investigation since Char walked away from her foster parent's vehicle near the rural intersection of Mountain House Road and West Coast Road, east of Williams Lake, following an argument Sunday evening.

Byron wants the public to be aware that CCSR members will be out searching and door knocking in the areas of Kengin Road, Likely Road, Spokin Lake Road, Horsefly Road and the Dugan Lake area today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Captions:(Above) Central Cariboo Search and Rescue search manager Grant MacPherson hears from his ground crew Wednesday afternoon at his home on the Horsefly Road east of Williams Lake where CCSAR has set up a station as crews continue looking for a missing teenager. (Below) While going door to door along the Horsefly Road Wednesday afternoon, Central Cariboo Search and Rescue member Meikel Dieck shares information with Dugan Lake resident Melanie Funk about the search for a missing teenager.

He said an air search is not viable at this time.

"The forest is thick and indications are that she does not want to be found so it makes it difficult."

Currently efforts are being placed on ground and residence searches, he said.

"The Police Dog Services are also engaged at this time."

Volunteers from Esketemc and other First Nations communities are also out searching for the teen.

Char is described as First Nations, five foot three inches tall, 100 pounds with black shoulder length hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a grey sweat shirt, jeans and blue sneakers. Anyone who may have seen the teen is asked to call the Williams Lake RCMP at 250 392-6211 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Char is registered with the Tletinqox First Nation Band and has family ties to Redstone as well, Chief Joe Alphonse told the Tribune Wednesday.

"We had an emergency community meeting last night when we learned Amy was missing. We have cancelled all our other meetings today so we can start a fundraising pitch to help family members come to Williams Lake from other parts of B.C. to start helping with the search," Alphonse said. "In a situation like this, people want to feel like they are doing something."

Alphonse said he hopes he and the family can meet with the Ministry of Children and Family as well because Char is in foster care, but right now the priority is locating her.

Campers staying at the Dugan Lake campground said they were canvassed by the RCMP and others looking for the girl, and expressed their own concerns.

"It's not good. I can only imagine what this poor kid is going through if she's not equip to be out in the bush, it's terrible," said camper Len Thibodeau. " It was below zero out here last night."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Angie Mindus

About the Author: Angie Mindus

A desire to travel led me to a full-time photographer position at the Williams Lake Tribune in B.C.’s interior.
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