The mother of a Saik’uz Nation woman who has been missing for more than three weeks says it is highly unusual for her daughter to not be in touch.
Chelsey Quaw, who also goes by Chelsey Heron, was reported missing from the Saik’uz Nation reserve in Vanderhoof on Oct. 11. She was last seen walking away from her father’s home at William Crescent.
Quaw’s mother, Pam Heron, says that Quaw is a brilliant woman who is loved by her family. Quaw was working at a mill in Houston as a level three first aid attendant.
Pam went on to say that her daughter was not involved in drugs and “would never just take off like that.”
“She is a good girl,” Heron said.
“I requested serious crime unit immediately because of all the drug activity in that community,” Pam said. “RCMP didn’t listen, [but] now they looked into her phone and bank and realized she’s a good girl. I hope more is done.”
There have been over 10 SAR units taking part in the search from all over the north since Quaw went missing. From Oct. 11-16, the units covered more than 1,000 km, according to her aunt, Tamara DeLong.
“All abandoned houses were searched in the community,” she said. “Volunteers and leadership did a search of all the sheds and outbuildings in the community.”
On Oct. 29, there was another search in Vanderhoof. DeLong says there was a good turnout of volunteer searchers and they were able to go through the majority of the town, but did not find any traces of Quaw or any leads.
Quaw is described as a 29-year-old female, Indigenous, weighing 120 lbs (55 kg) and 5’ 10 (170cm) tall with brown hair and brown eyes. She was wearing blue jeans and a purple winter jacket when she left her father’s residence.
READ MORE: Search continues for missing Vanderhoof woman Chelsey Quaw