Saskatoon mother who disappeared with son faces charges in U.S., Canada
A Saskatoon mother will face charges in the U.S. and Canada after she allegedly transported her son illegally across the border and triggered a missing persons investigation.
Dawn Walker, 48, is scheduled to appear in U.S. court Monday, Saskatoon Police Service Deputy (SPS) Chief Randy Huisman told reporters during a news conference.
He said Walker faces two charges in the U.S. related to "false identity documents" she allegedly used.
Huisman also said SPS is charging Walker with abduction in contravention of a custody order and public mischief. He said there may be further charges.
Walker and her son were reported missing on July 24. Her truck and belongings were found the next morning at Chief Whitecap Park in Saskatoon.
Following the discovery, police and volunteers spent days combing the park and the adjacent South Saskatchewan River for any sign of Walker or her son.
On Friday, police announced Walker and son had been safely located in Oregon City, Oregon.
During the news , Huisman said while the missing person investigation is winding down, a criminal investigation is in its early stages.
"Our investigators have been advised by the US authorities that they are confident that Dawn Walker will be further detained in the United States for the short term," Huisman said.
According to the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, Walker is being held in a detention facility located in Portland, Oregon.
Huisman said Walker entered the U.S. at a southern Alberta border crossing. He said police are "looking into the possibility" that Walker may have received assistance from one or more people.
"All I can tell you is that we follow the evidence trail and from the moment she was reported missing we started with a missing persons search and then evidence led us to where we are today," Huisman said.
"Evidence speaks for itself."
He said that a legal guardian arrived in Oregon on Friday and returned home with Walker's son on Sunday.
Walker was found by U.S. authorities in a rental unit, according to Huisman.
An image of Dawn Walker's truck parked at Chief Whitecap Park was shared by police. (Saskatoon Police Service)
The search for Walker in Saskatoon largely focused on the South Saskatchewan River, which runs through the park where her truck and belongings were found.
In addition to an extensive ground search, police and volunteers looked for signs of Walker and her son by air and sonar-equipped boat.
Dive teams also assisted in the search.
When asked about the cost of the search, Huisman said police don't yet have a tally.
"But I can tell you it will be significant," He said.
While responding to another question from a reporter, Huisman confirmed Walker had previously made domestic violence allegations which were "thoroughly investigated."
"No charges resulted as a result of those investigations," Huisman said.
The co-president of the Saskatoon Criminal Defence Lawyers Association said the criminal charges that Saskatoon police have laid are complex on their own.
“Adding a whole different country and a whole different slew of charges just increases the complexity of the case exponentially,” Lisa Watsonsaid.
Watson said the potential exists for Walker to remain in custody in the United States for an extended period of time.
“There is a treaty between the United States and Canada that deals with extradition, but a provision of that treaty allows the United States to conclude their proceedings before they will permit the person to return to Canada,” she said.
“While it's not mandatory, it's a possibility that the United States may want to deal entirely with their charges before Canada has an opportunity to address them here.”
--With files from Pat McKay
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
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.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
Crypt near Marilyn Monroe and Hugh Hefner could fetch US$400,000 at auction
A one-space mausoleum crypt in the vicinity of Marilyn Monroe and Hugh Hefner will go on auction Saturday, when it is expected to reach between US$200,000 and $400,000.
This Toronto restaurant is no longer accepting tips. Here's how it's going
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff – tipping is no longer accepted.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Premiers not being truthful about carbon tax, Trudeau says while sparks fly in Ottawa
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Conservative premiers across the country are 'not telling the truth' when it comes to the carbon tax. Trudeau's comments came as fresh sparks were flying in Ottawa at a recalled House of Commons committee.
Far North police 'dispatch' polar bear stalking schoolyard
Police and local hunters in an Ontario Far North First Nation community have “dispatched” a polar that was showing abnormal behaviour and treating the area as a hunting ground.
Cargo ship had engine maintenance in port before Baltimore bridge collapse, officials say
The cargo ship that lost power and crashed into a bridge in Baltimore underwent 'routine engine maintenance' in port beforehand, the U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday.