It’s been more than two weeks since 18-year-old Joseph Maku went missing. Without the young man, who’s described as adventurous and clever, his sister told Daily Hive their family home “is so much quieter.”
The day before the UBC student was reported missing, his older sister, Brenda Maku, said he seemed “a little more anxious.”
“He just seemed a little more distracted than usual.”
With it being midterm season, Brenda said she assumed her little brother was just facing the usual pressures as a first-year Kinesiology student.
However, 16 days later, Brenda and her family are thinking back on those moments in the morning and asking themselves, what did they miss?
After Joseph did not return home, the 18-year-old was reported missing to the Surrey RCMP early on October 23. He was last seen near 96th Avenue and 130th Street, a police statement reads.
“I’m hoping and praying… he would just randomly show up at the door. But unfortunately, that wasn’t the case, and now it’s been two weeks,” Brenda said.
For most of their life, Brenda said she’d seen herself as a guardian to her siblings after their father passed away about 15 years ago.
“I feel the need to protect him, and even come off as the naggy, bossy big sister,” she said.
Now, as they wait for hopeful news about their beloved family member, Brenda said she is struggling with the weight of maintaining family strength.
The Maku family.
“It has been really hard. It’s been really difficult,” she said.
“Obviously, being a South Sudanese Ugandan family, there are definitely certain expectations they have for children, let alone the eldest. So, while I have been able to step into that [guardian] position, I’m exhausted.
“Especially now, I’m past the point of crying… there’s constantly this need to… be strong.”
In addition to the stress about her missing brother, Brenda said her experience with police has been “frustrating” and “confusing.”
She explained that in the first week, the police response was initially slow.
Despite trying to access as much information they could on her brother, like his TransLink Compass Card, phone and social media, she felt as if the police stalled and depended on Joseph contacting his family or returning home.
Days later, the public started to provide tips directly to the family, and Brenda said she started to ask RCMP to help access CCTV footage or possible areas Joseph was in. However, police refused to at the time.
Fortunately, the RCMP’s missing persons unit has now taken over the case, according to Brenda.
Investigators are now reviewing surveillance footage. However, Brenda added, “How many more answers would we have gotten if they were to have seen the video footage right after Joseph got missing?”
“I do think it would have been easier for them to have come up with more clues.”
Media were sent photos and a description of Joseph two days after Brenda said he was reported missing.
Mounties were not able to provide any additional details about Joseph’s case but said, “The Surrey RCMP continues to actively search.”
Police describe Joseph as a Black male who is 6′5″ tall, 200 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
He was last seen wearing a black hoodie, black North Delta Huskies basketball shorts, and black & white basketball shoes.
Anyone with information about his whereabouts is urged to call the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 and quote file 2024-157805.
If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help call or text 988. Support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.