RCMP are investigating a sudden death after finding the body of a missing 44-year-old woman on Saturday.
RCMP was notified Saturday afternoon about the missing RM of Stuartburn woman who was last seen driving away from her residence at around 4:50 a.m.
Attending officers were told by family members that her vehicle was located in the ditch, approximately one kilometre away, and that they had searched the immediate area earlier in the day without success.
Emerson RCMP, along with Search and Rescue (SAR), Police Dog Services (PDS) and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) units, went to the scene and located the body of the 44-year-old woman in a wooded area.
The cause of death has yet to be determined as police await the results of the autopsy, but there are indications she may have succumbed to the elements after wandering away from her vehicle after hitting the ditch.
RCMP reminds that if possible motorists should remain with their vehicle if it becomes disabled, both for shelter and to help searchers find them.
“You can look at a situation where your vehicle leaves the highway or roadway and enters a ditch, at least you’re visible if someone comes down the road or searchers or other vehicles,” said RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Paul Manaigre. “You can be visible from the road. If someone exits the vehicle, you’ve got a bigger area to search. That’s your starting point and you’re still looking for a person who’s now exposed to the elements.”
Even in March, temperatures can be extremely cold.
Emerson RCMP, along with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, continue to investigate.
https://winnipegsun.com/news/provincial/mounties-investigate-death-of-missing-stuartburn-woman
