Miranda Smith, the mother of a 13-year-old Edmonton girl who was last seen getting onto her school bus last Friday morning, issued a statement Thursday.
In a post to a Facebook group, Miranda thanked friends, family and others for their love and support as they search for Lila.
“I am devastated and paralyzed by this situation. Our child going missing is not something we would wish on anyone.
“We are consumed with grief and worry, not knowing where she is or who she might be with. The only place I want to be now is at home,” Miranda wrote.
She said she is working closely with police but staying home to provide support to Lila’s younger sister, “who is heartbroken.”
In a news release Sunday, police said Lila was last seen on Friday, June 24, at around 8:30 a.m., in the area of 131 Avenue and 91 Street, which is next to Killarney Junior High School.
Smith is described as five-foot-10 with a slim build, weighing around 100 pounds. She has blue eyes and short brown hair, her family said. She was wearing a hoodie with a blue body and white arms, with a black-and-white checkered hoodie pocket, along with ripped blue jeans and black Converse shoes. She was carrying a backpack.
“Lila and her sister are everything to us,” Miranda wrote. “We need to bring our daughter home.
“We cannot thank you enough for all the love and support extended to us and for continuing to share that Lila is still missing.
“We are overwhelmed by the love and support, and all of the community’s ongoing support in helping to bring Lila home. Your love has provided comfort in our darkest hours.”
Miranda said her husband and family friend Robyn have been speaking to the media to spread the word about Lila’s disappearance.
Lila’s little sister Leighton spoke to Global News on June 27. She said she loves her sister and misses her a lot. Leighton said they do “almost everything together.”
“This is not a situation any parent or sibling should ever have to comprehend or endure,” Miranda wrote on Thursday. “We are consoling (Leighton) and offering her comfort as we are all consumed with emotion.
“This is a nightmare for us.”