Police in Vanderhoof have called off the physical search for Madison Scott, but insist that RCMP crime investigators "continue to make this a priority investigation."
The 20-year-old Vanderhoof girl attended an overnight party at a campsite at Hogsback Lake (25 kilometres south of Vanderhoof) starting on Friday.
She set up camp, participated in the socializing, but was last seen at 3 a.m. Saturday morning. By Sunday afternoon, when she failed to return to family, the search began in earnest.
"Vanderhoof RCMP along with Search and Rescue Teams from Vanderhoof, Prince George, Burns Lake and Fort St. James conducted extensive air, water and ground searches on Sunday and all day Monday," said RCMP spokesman Sgt. Rob Mermeulen. "Upwards of 150 volunteers searched, including horseback patrols, of the shorelines, walking and ATV trails and the logging roads in the area. Water areas were also explored with boats and side scanning sonar."
They ran out of logical territory to cover by Tuesday afternoon. Searchers need new information to hone the search in, Vermeulen said. There was a second party at the campsite on Saturday night, and many recreational users in the vicinity, prior to Scott's disappearance being noticed.
"We believe someone who was in the area this weekend may have seen Madison or even spoken to her, " said Vermeulen.
"It is important that we determine what happened that night, what her plans were for Saturday and the rest of the weekend. We have conducted some interviews, but it is important that we speak to anyone and everyone who will help piece together the bigger picture. We still have many questions, as does Madison's family."
Scott is described as 20-year-old Caucasian, five-foot-four, 170 pounds with ginger hair.
She was last seen wearing a black T-shirt and blue jean Capri pants.
She was driving an off-white early 1990s model F-150 pickup truck and had a two-tone blue tent. Both were left at the site and are now in police custody.
