Family calls for more rigorous RCMP investigation of 18-year-old Waterhen First Nation woman's death
CBC
Adyson King, 18, is described by her family as a beautiful, active and outgoing young woman who was loved by many in Meadow Lake and the Flying Dust and Waterhen First Nations.
"Adyson loved children. She loved helping them with whatever they wanted to do. Addison loved horses, she enjoyed hockey and supporting her teammates. She had a smile that would light up the room," said Loretta King, family spokesperson and Adyson's auntie.
Adyson's future was bright, but it burned out tragically one night in mid-April, mere months before her much-anticipated high school graduation.
The 18-year-old, who was Métis and a member of Waterhen First Nation, went out with some people she knew the evening of April 14 — the last day her family saw her alive.
They went to an outdoor party in Meadow Lake, about 250 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon, and then headed to a house party on Flying Dust First Nation — just under five kilometres northeast of the small city. Adyson left that house at some point. The family said they do not know if she was alone or not.
King told CBC Wednesday that on April 15, the young woman's mother, Darcie King, returned home from work to find Adyson was not there. She reported Adyson missing that evening.
The 18-year-old's body was found by a river near Flying Dust First Nation on April 16. King said Adyson was located on the side of the river where there is just bare countryside. Flying Dust homes and buildings are located on the opposite side.
"Why would she be on that side of the river? There were no houses there. She didn't live in that direction. There was still ice on the riverbanks. I just don't understand," King said.
"She was raised in the country, so she knew not to just cross a river, especially if there was only a field on the other side."
This is just one of the unanswered questions the close-knit King family has. They believe foul play led to Adyson's death.
King said she and the rest of the family do not believe RCMP are treating the investigation with the attention and care it deserves. In a news release from the Meadow Lake Tribal Council, the family indicated they were immediately concerned that RCMP did not treat Adyson's disappearance as a priority and claim police assumed she was a runaway before her body was found.
Adyson's aunt said her niece was not someone who went out often. She suspects stigma around Indigenous and Métis people may have impacted the investigation.
"I'm really frustrated because in my opinion, it's like Adyson was painted like just another drunk Indian," King said.
The Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) said that on April 16, police conducted a drone search in a small area around Meadow River without success. Adyson's family called it "little effort."
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