'Hugely worried' family searches Winnipeg for missing woman, 21, last seen near U of Manitoba
'She has no phone. She's got no ID. She's out there in sandals and socks'
UPDATE Oct. 19, 2019 (5:39 PM CT): The body of Taylor Price has been found, Winnipeg police say
Friends and family of a missing Winnipeg woman are still looking for her two days after her disappearance.
According to a Facebook page, Taylor Pryor's family is organizing a search of the city for the missing 21-year-old, who has been struggling with depression and anxiety. She was discharged from a Winnipeg hospital Thursday, but refused to return home with her mother.
"[We're] hugely worried because we can't trust that she is safe, and we can't trust that she will keep herself safe," said Darseen Pryor, Taylor's mother.
"She has no phone. She's got no ID. She's out there in sandals and socks, not dressed well for this kind of weather."
Taylor was last seen around 2:30 p.m. Thursday in the area of the University of Manitoba.
Pryor, who lives in Portage la Prairie, went to pick Taylor up at Victoria Hospital's urgent care department, but Taylor told her mom she wouldn't go with her.
"[Hospital] staff said, 'well, she's an adult, she can do what she wants,'" Pryor said. "So she left on foot and I followed in the vehicle … until she scaled the fence on Pembina Highway into the U of M."
On the other side of the chain-link fence, Taylor disappeared into the trees and field of the former Southwood golf course.
"And I lost her there," said Pryor, who had to turn her vehicle around and find a place to park before she could go searching on foot.
"I walked the area there for a little while and then I called police."
A spokesperson for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority could not speak specifically to Taylor's case, or confirm whether the 21-year-old was a patient of the WRHA.
The spokesperson said for patients presenting with mental health concerns, part of the decision to discharge them would consider the patient's potential risk to harm themselves or others.
"Should a patient express an immediate plan for self-harm or that there is a risk that they will harm others, the hospital would take steps to address those particular concerns," the spokesperson said in an email.
The spokesperson said the decision to discharge a patient is made by their entire care team, which can include emergency department nurses, psychiatric nurses, physicians, psychiatrists and other specialists.
Once the team has decided to discharge a patient, they would work together to review their care plan in the community, which would include either creating links to community supports or reviewing any existing plans for follow up appointments and care, she said.
"If a patient has been medically cleared for discharge with a plan in place for follow-up appointments they are free to leave the hospital," the spokesperson said.
"Patients cannot be held in the hospital against their will without appropriate cause determined by medical professionals."
Pryor and other family members, along with friends, searched for Taylor until about 2 a.m. Friday. After a short break, they received a tip and went back out until about 4 a.m.
"Couldn't find her. Still no word, nothing," she said, adding police sent their Air1 helicopter over the area and U of M security have been alerted and have photos of Taylor.
The search continued Saturday, with people meeting around 8:30 a.m. at Charleswood Mennonite Church on Haney Street.
Taylor has been living in the city and attending Canadian Mennonite University, but has not returned to her apartment.
Pryor and the searchers have looked there as well as in other areas of Winnipeg, including downtown.
Police ask the public to keep their eyes open for Taylor, who was last seen wearing a black jacket, black sweatpants, socks and sandals.
She is five feet, six inches, with a medium build, long curly brown hair and hazel eyes. She also wears prescription glasses.
Anyone with information is urged to call the missing persons unit at 986-6250.