‘Hold on to that hope’: Daughter of missing Manitoba woman still searching

The daughter of a missing woman says each day brings a combination of “hope and heartache” as family and friends try to find out what happened.

Ywanna (Jean) Backman was first reported missing on Oct. 19, 2023, after RCMP were called to check on her well-being and couldn’t find her at her RM of Piney home.

More than a year later, and despite repeated pleas to the public for information from police, the whereabouts of Jean, who was 70 years old at the time of her disappearance, still remain a mystery.

“Since my mom went missing last year … life has been incredibly different,” Jean’s daughter Vanessa Backman told Global Winnipeg.

“I really just hold on to that hope that we will find her, and be able to celebrate her life and all that she means to everybody…. We love her and miss her, and we wish her a safe return.”

So far, Backman said, she’s had good communication with police about the ongoing investigation but feels RCMP and the community have exhausted search options, without any positive result.

“I truly believe we’ve done everything that we can on the extended search efforts, the number of community members from near and far, across Manitoba, who have supported the efforts through both the public and private sector,” she said.

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“The RCMP approached this exactly how the textbook articulates this, and the community did what anyone would do when you don’t hear from someone … for a short period of time.”

Backman said what she misses most about her mother is her unwavering love and support.

“She had an incredible ability to make everyone feel special and truly loved. I definitely miss picking up the phone and talking with her for hours,” she said.

“My mom loves to talk — she would talk to just about anyone. She would send cards in the mail for every occasion, and sometimes just to say, ‘Have a nice day’ or to write a sentence of inspiration.

“So, definitely, as every occasion passes, those little, simple gestures of love and support are missed.”

Last month, on the anniversary of Jean’s disappearance, RCMP put out another public call for tips. Sgt. Paul Manaigre told Global Winnipeg the investigation is still very much ongoing — but it’s been difficult.

“It’s baffling in the sense that there’s a lack of evidence at the scene to provide investigators with avenues to proceed,” he said.

“Was foul play involved? We don’t know. Usually, when someone goes missing, you’ve got some indications that will lead you in a direction.

“The troubling aspect of this … is just this kind of very limited information to go on. We have some theories that I can’t provide to the public that we’re following up on, because this is a very much active investigation.”

Manaigre said police continue to encourage people to keep communication open, and that any bit of information might be useful.

“Let us know if there’s something that comes up, because people may hear things now, they might six months from now — there’s some information that might come out in the community, whether it’s through social media or the talk of the local town. That’s the stuff we want to hear.

“If we don’t have eyes and ears everywhere, that’s what we’re asking the public to be for us.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Sprague RCMP detachment at 204-437-2041 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.

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