SAULT STE. MARIE - The family of a missing Manitoulin Island woman is casting a wide net and pleading to anyone who has any information about the disappearance to share it with police.
Juanita 'Winnie' Migwans, age 30, was last seen Oct. 2, 2024 in the M’Chigeeng First Nation area of Manitoulin Island.
Migwan's aunt Mary Ashcroft said in a video posted to Facebook on Tuesday that police have been knocking on doors seeking leads with litttle success so far.
"You may not like them [police], but if they can at least come to your door and you can answer any questions or say you know nothing, whatever it is, then they can check off their list that they have spoken to you," said Ashcroft. "Remember her face. She could have been taken against her will."
In a recent article in the Manitoulin Expositor, UCCM Chief of Police James Killeen said some community members have been reluctant to cooperate with the investigation.
“It’s heartbreaking when doors are slammed in our faces. We need everyone’s help—especially those who might have seen or heard something, even if it seems insignificant. A single piece of information could be the key to bringing her home,” said Killeen.
After almost a month of looking, Ashcroft acknowledges that her niece may no longer be on Manitoulin Island or may even be deceased. Migwans could be in the Greater Toronto Area or in another part of southern Ontario, in northern Ontario or Manitoba, among other possibilities.
The family is asking people to watch out for the missing woman in gas station bathrooms and to search in outbuildings on their property. Ashcroft said it's uncharacteristic for Migwans to be out of contact with family and friends for so long and suggests wherever the woman is, it is probably against her will.
"The biggest thing is finding leads to find Winnie," said Ashcroft. "Wherever she is and whatever condition she is in, her family needs to bring her home."
Speaking with SooToday, Ashcroft said Migwans may have been caught up in the drug scene that is affecting M’Chigeeng First Nation, like it is in many communities.
"In my opinion, one of three things have happened. They either gave her some bad stuff, they have killed her or they have taken her," said Ashcroft.
Migwans' bank account has not been touched since she went missing, said Ashcroft, and the last activity on the missing woman's Facebook page was a July 20 selfie taken with her young daughter. That selfie, with her daughter cropped out, is one of the main photos being used for the missing person posters that are being issued to help find Migwans.
Migwans is described as an Indigenous female, with a slim build, approximately 5'6" (168 cm) and 110 pounds (50 kgs) with brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen walking on Highway 551 and Oakhill Drive in M'Chigeeng on Oct. 2, 2024 at approximately 10:30 a.m. wearing a light-coloured jacket and dark-coloured pants.
News releases for drug busts made this year by the UCCM Anishnaabe Police Service show arrests of people living in M’Chigeeng First Nation, but also from many southern Ontario communities, like North York, Windsor, Brampton, Oshawa among others.
Ashcroft said not knowing what happened to her niece has been the hardest part, but what the family needs is answers.
"None of the answers are good," she said. "If she's dead, that's not good. If she's been taken to Toronto in some sex trade, that's not good either. None of the answers we get are going to be good answers, we just need an answer and we need the help of the people to get the answers."
In a joint press release from United Chiefs and Councils of Manitoulin Anishnaabe Police (UCCM Police) and the Manitoulin Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police sent earlier this month, the departments asked anyone with information relating to this investigation or the whereabouts of Migwans to immediately contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or the nearest police authority. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online, where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.