Bear Clan Patrol search Winnipeg streets for 2 Indigenous women, 1 missing nearly a year

Volunteers with the Bear Clan Patrol and family members were out in Winnipeg's West Broadway neighbourhoodon Wednesday afternoon, searching for any tips about a woman who went missing early last year.

Ashlee Shingoose, 31, was last seen on March 11, 2022, around Henry Avenue, between Main and Martha streets, according to a post by the Southern Chiefs Organization.

Her father, Albert Shingoose, spoke briefly to CBC News to say his whole family is concerned for her wellbeing.

"My wife is worried about her daughter and also me, her sisters. They want to know where their sister is. My wife wants to know where Ashlee is. We'd like to find her," Albert said.

"Please, anyone, call us. Let us know where she is."

Kevin Walker, the interim director of Bear Clan, says her disappearance is a mystery.

"It's becominga concern that she hasn't contacted anybody in a long time. So we're going to be out today with the family and hopefully that we can drum up some leads with getting the posters up and having it on our social media platforms," he told CBC News.

Bear Clan Patrol volunteers are continuing to search on Wednesday eveningto search for another woman Latanya Tait.

Thunder Bay Police Service said in an update on Wednesday thatthe 25-year-old fromSachigo Lake, an Oji-Cree First Nation, had been seen in Winnipeg on the evening of Jan. 16.

Previously, Taitwas last seen on Jan. 1 in Thunder Bay. Her family said they haven't heard from Tait since before Christmas.

The family said they knew that something wasn't right when Tait's father didn't hear from Latanya on his birthday, in early December.

"[Her father's] birthday happened to be before Christmas and she usually sends greetings to him on that day, and when he didn't hear from her that's when he started to feel that something has happened," saidStan L. Tait, who came to Winnipeg to help search for his niece.

"She's always been in contact with her father, or any family members, and to this day, she hasn't had any contacts at all whatsoever."

After hearing that Tait was spotted in Winnipeg on January 16th on a bus in the 1400 block of Portage Avenue, the family is hopeful.

"We don't understand how she got here, or who brought her here, but just the fact that she's been sighted on the bus it has brought us hope knowing that she is around and still active," said Tait.

"In speaking to the ... grandmother Hilda, she had her hopes rejuvenated and now is hoping that she'll be found soon," saidTait.

For familieswho live far from Winnipeg, having a resource like the Bear Clan Patrol is really helpful.

"The Bear Clan has done a lot of good for the people that they have helped, and it's just brought me confidence that we have a good group of people that are helping out," said Tait.