Fears rise over missing women

PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE — The mysterious disappearance of two young women here has some residents of this city of about 14,000 fearful for the safety of other women, even though police have not connected the two cases.

Joyce Schrader, executive director of Portage Women’s Shelter, said the intensive media coverage around the disappearances of 18-year-old Jennifer Catcheway, who went missing June 18, and 24-year-old Amber Lynn McFarland, last seen Oct. 18, has heightened fear in the community.

"We run a teen group here and some of the participants are young girls and they, too, are feeling very nervous and concerned," Schrader said. "What’s really important right now is that all young women need to be aware of safety planning."

Hundreds of volunteers have combed through brush and bush dotted around this Prairie town searching for the women, but have found no trace.

Loralee Morton, 39, driving her motorized scooter down Saskatchewan Avenue on Monday, said her cerebral palsy stops her from helping with the search, but she can’t stop worrying. She said the two disappearances have her fearing for her own safety, a first in the 19 years she’s lived in Portage.

"What a way to put Portage on the map," she said.

Meanwhile, smiling photos of Catcheway and McFarland beam at passersby from posters along the city’s main street.

Catcheway, a fast-food worker, was part of a large family living in the city’s northeast corner. She was last seen at a party in Grand Rapids. Police arrested her uncle and cousin, who went to that town with her, but released them after questioning.

Now, a handmade billboard for Catcheway propped against a relative’s house counts the days she’s been gone.

McFarland, who worked at a clothing store, was last seen at a Portage hotel with her ex-boyfriend. Police have searched his house and found her Toyota Tercel in a city parking lot soon after she was reported missing.

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Ken Brennan, mayor of the close-knit community about 70 kilometres west of Winnipeg, said RCMP have told him they are not connecting the two cases. He said residents are frustrated with the lack of information about the disappearances.

"There doesn’t seem to be any sort of clues and that’s the frustrating part," Brennan said. "We want to find these girls and get this over with."

That can’t happen soon enough for Schrader.

"We are very concerned for the girls and the families… . Everybody is very hopeful that we get some answers soon. We want these girls back."

gabrielle.giroday@freepress.mb.ca meghan.hurley@freepress.mb.ca