A 10-year-old missing person case involving a young Alberta woman with autism has RCMP reminding the public to send any information they may have.
Desiree Oldwoman, 21, was last seen at around 8:20 p.m. on Aug. 27, 2011, at her home on the Siksika First Nation in southern Alberta, according to a news release issued Friday.
Gleichen RCMP say Oldwoman is autistic and non-verbal but is able to write her name.
“There is not a day that goes by that we do not think of Desiree and her return home. She is special, beautiful, wonderfully curious, and we miss her dearly,” said Oldwoman’s family in the release.
“Family and friends continue to pray that she will be found, and that justice will be achieved. We plea to the public that if you have any information about her disappearance, you must report it to the Gleichen RCMP immediately. We need your help to find her and bring her home. We must find her.”
During the night of her disappearance, it is believed she wandered away from her residence to Highway 901, which extends Highway 22X from Highway 24 to Highway 1 near Gleichen.
RCMP say she may have walked on the highway either that night or in the early morning of Aug. 28, 2011.
Several search efforts that covered air, land and water were conducted in the area.
Tips were also reported to police over the years, but officers have not been able to determine the circumstances surrounding her disappearance.
Recently, an “aged composite” image of Desiree has been developed of what she may look like today. She would now be 31 years old.
According to a release, she is Indigenous, five-foot-four and 165 pounds with short brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a brown sweater and black track pants with a red stripe. She was not wearing shoes.
She is also known to be drawn to fragrances, such as perfume and air fresheners, and has a love for plush animals.
Anyone with information regarding this incident or identifying those responsible can call Gleichen RCMP at 403-734-3923 or call your local police. Tips can be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/missing-person-siksika-desiree-oldwoman-1.6155967
Desiree Oldwoman was last seen at 8:20 p.m. the night of Aug. 27, 2011 at her home on the Siksika First Nation. The Gleichen RCMP (403-734-3923) is appealing to the public for any new info on Desiree’s disappearance that will further their investigation: https://t.co/YxuqkR4IcG pic.twitter.com/77AdiHTcOW
— RCMP Alberta (@RCMPAlberta) August 27, 2021
