Christine Wood's parents should never give up, says mom who found missing daughter

Marilyn Courchene knows all too well what Christine Wood's parents are going through and she's urging them tonot give up and never stay still.

Parents of missing childrenneed policebutcan't rely solely on their help, Courchene said. They need to get out there, often into frightening situations, to save their kids, she said.

"I said to them every minute counts, every hour, every day. You need to be out there on the streets looking. You need to talk with people it doesn't matter who.Pass your fliers out," saidCourchene, who spoke with Wood's mother and father,Melinda and George, on Wednesday.

"You need to go to places that you feel she might be at. Go there and talk to others. That's how you might get information.A lot of street people, I said, will help you."

Wood, from Oxford House First Nation,was last seen on the evening of Aug.19in the St. James area of Winnipeg. She was staying with family at a hoteland went out for the evening. She never returned and calls and texts to hercellphonehave gone unanswered.

• 'Somebody must know something': Worried parents search for daughter, 21
• Public asked for help in solving disappearance of 21-year-old Manitoba woman

Since that time, a number of potential sightings have been reported to investigators, according to police, who say shewas possibly observed in the Osborne Village area, downtown near Portage Place Shopping Centreand in the St. James area, east of Polo Park.

Woodis described as 5-foot-6, with an average buildandshoulder-length dark brown hair. Shewas last seen wearinga green top with a red striped Adidas jacket anddenim shorts. She was carrying a white purse.

Courchene's own daughter ran away and went missing in Winnipeg in2005. Courchene pounded the pavement,got to know people on the streetand even spent hours at Portage Place, handing out her daughter's photo, talking to retailers and security guards.

"My experience was11 years ago, but yesterday [talking to George and Melinda] was like opening up wounds again. It was like reliving it," saidCourchene, adding she has faith Wood will be found.

"I believe she's alive and well but being held somewhere.I believe that in my heart."

• Manitoba First Nation mom took search for daughter into own hands

Shesuggested the Woods speak tosex trade workers, whom she foundhelpful and kind when she was desperate to find her daughter.

People whose lives revolve around the streets are oftenlikely to have seen or heard something, saidCourchene, who also told the Woods howshe studied the criminal activity in Portage Place and spoke with thosepeople.

'Enough of this.As Indigenous nations, wegottapull together and help one of our children here come back home to her mom.'- Marilyn Courchene

"The peoplethat were doing the criminal activities ended up asking what am I doing here, why am I sitting here? I told them I was looking for my daughter and they, in turn, took my photos of my girl and ended up helping me," she said.

They told her where they saw her daughter in the city and what buses she had been seen riding. But it was a scary experience,Courchenesaid.

She once watched men onRollerbladesskate up, grab a young girland shove her inside a carthat quickly pulled up then tookoff.

"But there was nothing I could say because they were helping me. I had to leave it alone inorder to save my girl. It was a tough, tough thing to do."

Turn up the heat

She eventually learned her daughter was at a house in the West End.Courchenewent there, ignoringthe danger she might face.

"You know, amother's adrenaline, you don't care. I just walked in there and said I want my girl back, I know she'shere somewhere."

Her daughter wasn't there at the time butCourchenelater received a phone call from the girl, tellingCourcheneto meet her on the street because she was coming home.

Asked why she was let go,Courchene'sdaughter said, "Mom, you were bringing too much heat."

"They didn't like that" so they let her go,Courchenesaid, adding her daughter is now a mother herself, with three children.

Courchene believes that same heatis being turned up now in the pursuit of Christine Wood.

• Bear Clan help in search for missing 21-year-old woman

There is media attention and on Wednesday, the Bear Clan joined the search.

"She's a remarkable case. There's a tremendous amount of people who really love and care for this woman," the group's leader, JamesFavel,said.

Bear Clanvolunteersare out searchingWinnipegstreets,putting up posters and urging people to come forward with tips. They will meet at Ndinawe Resource Centre,472 Selkirk Ave., at 6 p.m. Thursdayto continue the search.

"Basically the family just wants to know that she's safe and we're trying to facilitate that," saidFavel.

Bear Clan help search for missing 21-year-old woman

8 years ago

Duration 1:10

The Bear Clan was keeping an eye out for Christine Wood during their weekly search Wednesday night. Wood went missing Aug. 19.

Courchene said women from several First Nations are alsoheading to the city on Monday to help search.

"We're coming down with the drums, and the women will be walking from the Perimeter to The Forks," Courchene said.

"Enough of this.As Indigenous nations, wegottapull together and help one of our children here come back home to her mom."

Courchene also advisedWood's parents to check their daughter's computer, the history of her communications.

"They need to see who she was talking with the last person," she said. "These are the main things: You check computers, you stay at the places where she was last seen and ask for help there."

Make everyone aware, Courchene said.