Missing Sask. mushroom picker found dead
The search for a missing 74-year-old woman lost in the forest northeast of Smeaton, Sask. ended after her body was discovered Sunday.
The family of Lois Chartrand confirmed to CTV News the woman's body was found Sunday afternoon, approximately one kilometre from the RCMP mobile command centre.
RCMP say Chartrand was last seen around 11 a.m. on Aug. 4 when she left a quad trail to go pick mushrooms in the forest. Chartrand and her friend had two-way radios with them but lost sight of each other.
RCMP mobilized a search for Chartrand the day she went missing. The last contact they had with her on the two-way radio was around 6 a.m. on Aug. 5.
RCMP believe she survived one night alone in the forest but a search team was unable to locate her.
Chartrand was from White Fox. She went missing in a densely forested area 32 kilometres northeast of Smeaton, near the Hanson Lake Road.
Her husband Lorne Terry says Chartrand was an experienced picker and familiar with the area where she went missing.
The couple received an income from picking mushrooms, fiddleheads and wild berries.
The family says they are grateful to everyone who assisted in the 11-day search.
Saskatchewan RCMP say several police K9 teams, Alberta RCMP/ helicopter air support and the Saskatoon Police Service and air support assisted in the search. As well as the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, Search and Rescue Saskatchewan Association of Volunteers (SARSAV) Civilian Air Search and Rescue Association (CASARA) and Heli Recon.
“We also thank community members and Lois’s loved ones, who – despite the stressful circumstances – ensured all searchers were fed and supported,” an RCMP news release said.
Several volunteers from the nearby community helped search the forest. Local businesses and people also donated food and supplies to support the search efforts.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.