It was a painful week for the Bali family who marked the six year anniversary of the disappearance of their daughter, Mekayla. But an anonymous donation came at just the right time to bolster the reward for information leading to her return, according to the girl’s mother.
Mekayla Bali disappeared on April 12, 2016. She was seen on various surveillance footage throughout Yorkton, Sask.
Previous RCMP statements said she went to the Yorkton Bus Depot and inquired about a bus leaving for Regina, but it was determined she never purchased a bus ticket.
In a statement to Global News, RCMP say they hope new information will come up to help them find Mekayla.
For anyone who has information about her disappearance, the RCMP asks them to call their local police service or Crime Stoppers to report information anonymously.
Meanwhile, an anonymous donor came forward this week with a $60,000 donation to boost the reward fund to $100,000.
“The timing was really great with her upcoming anniversary and so we were delighted that some people in our community still feel that finding Mekayla is important and they want to do their part to help,” Paula Bali, Mekayla’s mother said.
Paula said the reward fund helps raise awareness about Mekayla’s disappearance.
“I don’t know for certain, but my inkling is there may be people locally who have information that have not come forward. I’m hoping this will be an impetus for them to do so,” Paula added.
Paula refers to the donors as “our little angel committee” and said she was pleased when they approached her about making the donation.
“We have continued to try and keep Mekayla’s case alive and continuing to bring attention and awareness to her case but (also) to missing children in this province, in general,” Paula said.
RCMP told Global News they do not use nor manage private rewards to conduct missing persons investigations.
“This does not affect the quality or quantity of our resources to investigate,” the RCMP’s statement read.
“Private rewards may be used in exchange for evidence or information that would lead to someone being charged, or the missing person being found. The details of parameters related to private rewards are typically decided in advance by the family of the missing person.”
RCMP said “all renewed visibility” can occur “in the form of private rewards, memorial walks” and generate more tips. They follow up on all of them, they said.
— with files from Global News’ Marney Blunt