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
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.