Manitoulin Island First Nation to search for woman last seen in October

CBC News

· Posted: May 09, 2025 6:49 AM EDT | Last Updated: 3 minutes ago

Dozens of volunteers volition beryllium searching connected Manitoulin Island Saturday for a pistillate who hasn't been seen successful seven months.

Juanita "Winnie" Migwans, past 30 years old, of M'Chigeeng First Nation disappeared successful October.

Her household has repeatedly posted astir her connected societal media implicit the winter, hoping immoderate clues would emerge.

"It's each I deliberation about. Was each I deliberation about," said her aunt MaryDale Ashcroft.

"I'd get up successful the greeting and deliberation 'What americium I going to station astir Winnie today?' due to the fact that it's truthful important to support her look retired determination and erstwhile I went to bed, it was 'What americium I going to station tomorrow?'"

And now, with the melting of the snowfall and with the assistance of the M'Chigeeng occurrence department, they've decided to hunt astir the community.

"It's hard to accidental that we anticipation to find her, due to the fact that we cognize what that means if we find her, but we don't cognize what else..." said Ashcroft. 

"If she isn't deceased wherever is she? Is she successful a quality trafficking ringing and we don't privation her suffering done that for who knows however long."

Anyone is invited to articulation successful the search, which starts 10 a.m. Saturday from the M'Chigeeng occurrence hall. 

Ashcroft says the Ontario Provincial Police precocious followed up connected a extremity astir Migwans successful Wikwemikong, but thing came of it.

She said a $100,000 reward is being offered for accusation connected her niece's whereabouts and determination are plans to enactment up billboards with her picture.

Anyone with accusation astir this case, tin telephone the OPP anonymous extremity line 1-833-941-9010.