Manitoba

New witness comes forward in Jennifer Catcheway case

A new witness has come forward with information about Jennifer Catcheway's disappearance, her family said.

The Catcheways said the witness made a statement to RCMP

Bernice and Wilfred Catcheway did their own search on the Dakota Tipi First Nation after receiving a tip from a community member. (Jillian Taylor)

A new witness has come forward with information about Jennifer Catcheway's disappearance, her family said.

Catcheway was 17 years old when disappeared in 2008.

On Friday, Jennifer's mother, Bernice, said she went numb when she heard there was someone with new information.

"Everything went slow motion," she said.

"I was in complete shock because you wait for so long and then it happens."

Jennifer Catcheway has been missing since 2008.

The Catcheway family got a tip last week from a member of the Dakota Tipi First Nation. They got permission from Chief and Council to search the land.

When Jennifer first went missing, there was information that she had been at a party in Dakota Tipi, but it never went anywhere.

"We've been so discouraged and disappointed in the last seven years of rumours here and there and we've followed every tip," said Bernice.

 "We're praying this is the last [one]."

The family was allowed to search the community on Thursday and Friday. They said they didn't find any physical evidence that Jennifer had been there, but a witness came forward to the family and then went to RCMP and gave a statement.

"Hopefully from here the RCMP will take charge and question the names that were given," Bernice said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jillian Taylor is the Executive Producer of News at CBC Manitoba. She started reporting in 2007 and spent more than a decade in the field before moving behind the scenes. Jillian's journalism career has focused on covering issues facing Indigenous people, specifically missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. She is a born-and-raised Manitoban and a member of the Fisher River Cree Nation.