For the second time in just more than a year, a teenage girl has been found dead on Uncha Lake Road. This time, according to police, foul play is not suspected.
The name of the latest victim has not been released. Staff Sgt. Grant MacDonald of the Burns Lake RCMP said his members were called at about 8 p.m. March 3 asking for assistance from them as well as paramedics. The location is a remote community in the general area of Burns Lake on the south side of Francois Lake.
"Unfortunately, all efforts to revive the unresponsive 18-year-old female failed," he said. She was a resident of the Burns Lake area. "Police investigation determined the death was not suspicious... Alcohol and drugs are believed to be contributing factors in the death."
An autopsy was conducted in Prince George with no conclusive cause of death determined. Toxicology is still being assessed.
MacDonald expressed his condolences to the girl's family, and reminded all families to embrace the conversations about drugs and alcohol that would make children more aware of the effects and dangers, and thus be safer. He referred people to the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse for more information (www.ccsa.ca).
It has been a tragic period for that area of the Lakes District. Police were called there to investigate the sudden death of resident Bill Troy, only a month ago. That was ruled non-suspicious as well.
Police are still involved in a missing persons case, looking for Perry Sebastian, who was reported missing on Dec. 26 and has not been found despite numerous search efforts.
The most police-involved case from the same neighbourhood dates back to Jan. 26, 2011 when 17-year-old Chassidy Charlie died under mysterious circumstances. Investigators deemed that incident highly suspicious and MacDonald said they have not wavered from that conclusion since then.
"That is an ongoing investigation through our Major Crimes Unit [based at RCMP North District headquarters in Prince George]," he said. "They are the lead investigators on it, and they have been here in the community several times this year to follow leads and conduct interviews. It is a very active investigation."
