It’s been over three weeks since Autumn Shaganash, a woman from Barrie, was last seen or heard from by her family.
As her loved ones expand their search for her, they are speaking out to urge the public to help with the efforts. There is concern that she could be a victim of human trafficking.
The Barrie Police Service told CBC Toronto that human trafficking could be behind her disappearance.
“This is very unlike Autumn to do this. Her family knows her very well. She’d be on the phone, contacting her grandparents, her sister,” said Kimberly Moore, Shaganash’s cousin, in an interview.
“There is something very wrong and we need to figure out what happened and where she is. We need to bring her home.”
Shaganash’s mother, father, sister, cousin and uncle along with volunteers are putting up posters across the Greater Toronto Area with hopes that someone will know where she is, and contact them.
The 26-year-old was last seen on June 9 leaving her sister Lili Moore’s home, where she lived. Shaganash told Moore she was going to see a friend and would be back later. That same night, Shaganash texted her sister, around 11 p.m., that she would be staying out later and would be back in the morning.
But she never returned. At 9:30 a.m. the next morning, she texted her sister asking to be picked up.
“By the time I could respond to her three minutes later, my messages didn’t deliver. She didn’t give me the location of where she was at, she didn’t respond to me,” Moore said.
The family has shared a video from a home security camera with CBC Toronto that shows her leaving her house that night, passing a nearby convenience store and crossing the street to meet someone.
“She’s not messaging anyone. That’s when I started to worry,” she said.
Family fears human trafficking
Barrie police said Shaganash was officially reported missing on June 12 and the investigation is ongoing. It said the force is using Twitter and Facebook to share information about Shaganash and are hoping someone who knows where she is will reach out.
Police told CBC Toronto she could be a victim of human trafficking. Barrie police define human trafficking on its website as a human rights abuse that can include sex and labour trafficking. Often, victims are young adolescents “trying to fit in” and traffickers gain their trust through manipulation or threats.
An indicator of human trafficking is someone having a new partner no family members have met, receiving new gifts, or becoming more isolated from family and friends or secretive about online activities, according to the website.
Shaganash was last seen wearing a black hoodie, shorts, slip-on Puma sandals and a black or tan purse.
Angela Boyer, the missing and murdered Indigenous team lead at the Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre, an agency that serves Indigenous communities, said multiple Indigenous organizations are assisting the family with the search.
Mothers of children who have been trafficked have also stepped forward to help the family, she said.
“These young girls, they become vulnerable, and that’s what these men look for … that they prey upon, she said.
The timeline of her disappearance, and Shaganash suddenly not responding to messages, is raising alarms, said Boyer. The possibility of human trafficking is on the family’s mind, she said.
“The family just wants answers. And that’s what we’re doing, putting posters out at all the possible motels,” she said. “The strip clubs…the areas of what to tackle.”
Right now, the best way the public can help is to assist in getting the word out about Shaganash through sharing her information on social media or by putting up posters, said Boyer.
Barrie police need to follow more leads, mother says
Esther Moore, Shaganash’s mother, said the police should step-up their efforts as the family is putting up posters in multiple neighbourhoods.
“I feel like [police are] not really helping us,” said Moore.
She said she fears human trafficking is a possibility, because her daughter has not reached out to contact family.
“We know her. She’s not doing it willingly … Is she being held against her will, not able to contact us?” she said.
CBC Toronto has asked Barrie police about Moore’s comments and is awaiting a response.
Shaganash was funny, liked to spend time with friends and family and enjoyed going for walks, Moore said. She said she and her daughter spoke frequently via Facebook messenger.
For now, family members said they will not stop looking until they find her.
“We want her to know that we love her and if you’re out there, Autumn, call us,” said Clarence Moore, Shaganash’s uncle.
“Please come home.”