Every year in Edmonton, emergency officials conduct a sweep of the North Saskatchewan River valley in an effort to find and recover human remains that may have entered the water and this year, the search will include looking for a missing woman.
The search on Wednesday is led by the Edmonton police missing persons unit and takes place each fall when river water levels are low.
“We conduct this annual search because unfortunately, we do recover human remains from the North Saskatchewan River and its surrounding area from time to time,” said Edmonton Police Service Cst. Amanda Johnson.
“We want to use this opportunity before winter, where water levels are relatively low, to do a thorough search of the river and its valley to help recover those remains and give some resolution to families if we possibly can.”
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Members from Edmonton Fire Rescue Services, City of Edmonton park rangers and local search and rescue organizations will also participate. Edmonton police will also be using drones and its Air One helicopter to search the water and shoreline.
This year, the family of Audrey Beaver is supporting the search efforts and encouraging local news organizations and the public to report any tips about her last known whereabouts.
Police said Beaver was last seen in August 2020, and had been seen in the river valley area before she disappeared.
“While we never want to rule out any outcomes, we do have to consider the possibility that a missing person may be deceased,” Cst. Johnson said.
“Unfortunately, searching for remains is one of the investigative tasks we have to complete.”
Beaver was 48 at the time and is described by police as five-foot two-inches tall and 120 pounds, with black hair, brown eyes, and a large tattoo of a cross on her right forearm.
Police said at this time, no foul play is indicated in Beaver’s disappearance.
Anyone with information about Audrey Beaver or any other missing person is asked to contact the EPS at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone.
Anonymous information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.