KAMLOOPS — It’s not the kind of anniversary that brings joy to the heart of Flora Royal.
Seven years ago today (June 14), her brother Frederick Yellow Old Woman went missing in the Kamloops area.
Frederick had been staying at a friend’s home with his girlfriend on East Shuswap Road where it is feared he may have fallen into the South Thompson River and been swept away.
Flora makes the trek back to Kamloops from her home in Alberta each year to search for answers. Today, that includes a meeting with the Kamloops RCMP.
“I’m hoping they don’t close the file because there’s been no answers for our family, there’s been no closure. I’m hoping something comes up one day.”
At this point all she’s looking for is closure because as far as she’s concerned, Frederick is “gone.”
“He’s probably deceased. He’s probably in that river. With no closure it’s been really hard on our family.”
In absence of Frederick’s body, Flora says her family has decided to erect a monument in Frederick’s memory on their reserve east of Calgary.
Despite Flora’s frustrations, Kamloops RCMP Cpl. Jodi Shelkie says Frederick’s case file remains open.
“As with all the missing persons, our file remains open until that person is located. So, our file is open. We are regularly in contact with the family.”
She adds since the time of his disappearance and over the following months, police conducted “an extensive search” of the area and says when tips have come in, officers have been following up on those as well.
