The five and a half-month search for missing teenager Angel Carlick came to a tragic end last Friday afternoon when her remains were discovered in a forested area north of the Pilot Mountain subdivision.

A Whitehorse citizen who was walking in the area discovered the human remains and immediately contacted police.

The RCMP received the call at approximately 2:51 p.m.

The RCMP Major Crimes Unit, Forensic Identification and Police Dog Services immediately went to the scene and recovered the human remains.

The remains were positively identified late Monday evening as those of Angel Eda Carlick, 19, Sgt. Roger Lockwood told a press conference this morning.

'We understand that many may find this news upsetting,' said Lockwood.

'Our thoughts and prayers are with Angel Carlick's family and friends at this time.'

'We're all in shock,' Vicki Durrant, executive director of the Blue Feather Youth Centre, where Carlick used to work, told the Star this morning.

'We have a lot to deal with right now.'

She declined to comment further.

The area where Carlick's remains were found has been barricaded off and police are gathering further evidence.

Lockwood said he 'certainly cannot speculate' how long Carlick's remains had been there. He said he was unable to provide further information as to the condition of her remains.

Although extensive searches had been conducted in the Whitehorse area for any signs of Carlick, the area where her remains were found had not been searched, said Lockwood.

The RCMP had also conducted more than 100 interviews with Carlick's family, friends and co-workers as part of their investigation into her disappearance.

Carlick was added to a missing persons database and police in Alaska, Alberta, and British Columbia were alerted to her disappearance, said Lockwood.

An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death, although Lockwood said he didn't know when it would take place.

The Yukon Coroner's Office declined to comment on the investigation.

The only clue about Carlick's disappearance discovered during the search was her bicycle, which was found locked up at the Family Hotel in downtown Whitehorse last July.

Carlick was reported missing late last May.

The RCMP have determined that she was last seen between May 26 and 31, 2007.