Wearing T-shirts with a picture of their missing daughter, Art and Lee Anne Ward lead a crowd of supporters as they walk down the same stretch of road where Kristina Ward went missing in 2017.
The walk, marking the seventh anniversary of her disappearance, aims to raise awareness and hopefully encourage anyone who might know what happened to her to come forward, the parents said.
“I hope to get some answers, some awareness, jar someone’s mind,” said Lee Anne Ward. “Those were her last steps there … we need closure. We need answers. Bring her home.”
Dozens marched behind the Wards near the intersection of 144 Street at 104 Avenue in Surrey, B.C., where Kristina was last seen.
Her name has since been added to the database of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
“To be honest, it doesn’t get any easier by any means. It’s hard on us to make this walk,” said Art Ward.
Kristina Ward was 21 when she disappeared on Sept. 27, 2017. That was also the last day her cellphone and bank accounts were accessed. She bought a bottle of water at a Freshslice Pizza near the intersection.
Police have since released video of her last known sighting, which shows her in the area walking with an unidentified man who was pushing a bike.
WATCH | Police released video of Ward’s last sighting in 2017:
Ward, who was reported missing on September 29th, 2017, can be seen walking with a male pushing a bicycle
“We know she was last seen with the man on the bike. We’ve got grainy pictures of that man,” said Langley RCMP Cpl. Craig van Herk. “So we need somebody that was in this area that saw them together to come forward.”
Investigators say several tips have come in, but none have panned out.
Ward is described as Indigenous, five feet five inches tall, 130 pounds, with long, dark brown curly hair and brown eyes.
“It’s a stark reminder that every child matters. Kristina matters,” said Katie Pearson, a Shishálh Nation member who lives in Langley. “Our women, our children, our men matter, and they are going missing at rates far higher than [in] other Canadian communities.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Langley RCMP at 604-532-3200 or, if they wish to remain anonymous, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.