The family of three that went missing on Saturday while riding their side-by-side ATV in Lac Ste. Anne County have been confirmed dead by RCMP.
In a Tuesday afternoon news release, police said Parkland RCMP, Edmonton Police Air1 helicopter and ground search and rescue volunteers continued the search for the family in an area near the Alexis Bridge off Range Road 40A and were assisted by an underwater dive team as well as the Lac Ste. Anne County Fire Service where they recovered the bodies of 39-year-old Kelly Pelsma, his wife, 37-year-old Laura Pelsma, and eight-year-old son Dylan Pelsma on Tuesday.
“This is a sad outcome, the loss of any life is tragic,” said RCMP public information officer Cpl. Patrick Lambert in the release. “The loss of this entire family is truly devastating over the holidays. Our thoughts are with the community and their extended family.”
Had a bad feeling
Martin Lavoie goes fishing near the bridge along Alexis First Nation quite regularly and, when he first heard about the missing family, he had a bad feeling.
“I told my wife, ‘I think I know exactly where they are,’” said Lavoie in an interview with Postmedia.
“I got in my truck and brought some spotlights with me and drove to the area where I thought they may be.”
Lavoie said he first checked with his neighbour down the road who has cameras outside his house and they both saw footage of the family driving by the road heading in that direction on Alexis First Nation in their side-by-side at 6:55 p.m. last Saturday.
Seeing that footage confirmed Lavoie’s suspicions and he arrived at the area on Alexis First Nation at approximately 9:30 p.m. Monday and began to search.
It didn’t take long for him to discover an item on the ice.
“The first thing I saw was a jerry can on top of the ice, so I stopped the truck and started to make my way down to walk on the ice. I was about 50 feet from the hole. I immediately called RCMP.”
Full Story: https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/parkland-rcmp-looking-for-missing-family-west-of-edmonton
