No progress has been made in search for missing woman, child, RCMP say

No progress has been made in the search for Dawn Walker and her child, RCMP say.

Walker, 48, who is well known in the Indigenous and literary communities, was last seen on Friday evening at a business on the 300 block of Owen Manor. She may be with her child, according to police.

On Tuesday, the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) and RCMP held an update on the search at Chief Whitecap Park, just south of Saskatoon, where Walker's red Ford F-150 pickup truck was found on Monday morning. Some of her personal items were found nearby, but there was no trace of her or her child.

RCMP, Saskatoon police, volunteer searchersand other groups are working hard to find Walker and her child, RCMP Staff Sgt. Greg Abbott told reporters.

"We are working to pursue every possible avenue (for) the reason for Dawn and her [child]'s disappearance," Abbott said. "We have underwater, as well as surface water search teams right now scouring the river's edge and the river itself."

Officials haveasked people to stay away from the area, though they're also welcoming volunteers who want to help search.

Walker, also known as Dawn Dumont Walker, is also the executive operating officer of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) and is a well-known author. She also ran for the federal Liberal Party in Saskatoon in 2021.

'This is unlike Dawn': sister

"This is so unlike Dawn to just leave and go," Walker's sister, Patricia Dorian,said through tears. Dorian was at the news conference along with Walker's mother and other family members.

"We have a lot of family and friends that are concerned about her."

Abbott said there are no indications of foul play at the moment, but the FSIN said it's not ruling it out.

FSIN Vice-Chief Heather Bear said she hopes police conduct a thorough investigation.

"Too many times we have our missing people not investigated properly. We're not going to allow that to happen here," Bear said.

The FSIN is asking anyone with information to come forward.