Saskatoon residents asked to help in search for Dawn Walker and her child - Action News
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Saskatoon

Saskatoon residents asked to help in search for Dawn Walker and her child

Residents in and around Saskatoon have been called on to help search for Dawn Walker and her child, who were last seen in late July.

Public asked to search properties, buildings for anything 'out of the ordinary'

Lawyers for Saskatoon woman Dawn Walker say the kidnapping and other charges against her should be stayed after her human rights were violated in multiple ways.
Police have confirmed Walker has filed domestic abuse reports, but Saskatoon police criminal investigation Supt. Patrick Nogier has chosen to withhold whether any charges were laid. (Submitted by Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations)

The father of a young child missing since late July has issued astatement appealing to the public for help.

The missing seven-year-old has not been seensince July 22. The child's mother, Dawn Walker, is also missing.

"I am desperately begging for your help in spreading the word of their disappearance even further," the child's fatherwrote in a statement on Tuesday.

He said that everyone in Saskatchewan needs to know what Walker and his child look like.

On July 25, RCMP located Walker's truck at Chief Whitecap Park, near the Riverside Country Club. Some of Walker's personal items were found nearby, but there was no trace of her or her child.

RCMP Staff Sgt. Greg Abbott said police searched by air, land and water so far for Walker and her child, but nothing new had been found over the weekend. He said RCMP's general investigations unit is working with police from Saskatoon.

Walker,48, also known as Dawn Dumont Walker, served as chief of staff for the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations for 10 years and is an advocate for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

A red truck in a parking lot.
Dawn Walker's red Ford truck was found at Chief Whitecap Park near Saskatoon. (Submitted by Saskatoon Police Service)

The father described his child as a loving, thoughtful child, whose smile, laughter and energy lights up the house "from morning to night." Now, he wrote, their house feels empty.

"Our hearts are filled with concern and are aching without [the child]. [Their] little sister looks up to [them], always following [them] around, trying to get into [their] room and bugging [them]when [they] attempts to play video games without her," the father wrote.

Call for public help

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) on Tuesdaycalled on the public to help where they can. Okanese First Nation Chief Richard Stonechild said any little tidbit of information could be helpful.

"We're going to do everything we can to support these efforts and bring closure to this investigation, to bring closure to the family," Stonechild said.

"If you can take some time to check your property, to check your home. Whatever properties you may have in the rural areas:check the abandoned buildings for anything that's out of the ordinary."

Family and supporters of Dawn Walker and her child held a walk last Thursday, where they prayed for their safe return. (CBC News)

No indication of abduction, no Amber Alert: police

Investigators involved with the search for the child and Walker said on Tuesday that the criteria have not been met to issue an Amber Alert for the child since there isno indication of an abduction.

Still, Saskatoon Police Service Staff Sgt. Grant Obstsaid,"Our investigators are looking at all the considerations." He added thatnumerous organizations were now involved with the search efforts for Walker and her child.

FSINChief Bobby Cameron said the organizationwould continue to treat the disappearances as if there wasan Amber Alert.

The FSIN isoffering a rewardfor information leading to Walker or her child's discovery, though no details were shared on Tuesday about what that reward would be.

Cameron says more information will be released about the reward in the coming days, with approval from the family and from chief and council.

In his statement, the fatheralso said he has started a Gofundmeappeal to fund a possible reward and his search efforts.