Photo by Whitehorse Star
Heather Daye
Mother relieved to hear from missing daughter
A New Brunswick teen reported missing last week has told her mother she's coming home.
A New Brunswick teen reported missing last week has told her mother she's coming home.
Sgt. Don Rogers, the Yukon's RCMP spokesperson, confirmed this morning that officers in Yellowknife interviewed 16-year-old Heather Daye late last night.
"We don't have any reason to believe that she has been or is in danger,” said Rogers.
After interviewing Daye, officers had the teenager call her mother, Darlene, who hadn't spoken with her since July 20.
Darlene told the Star Wednesday afternoon, before speaking with Heather, "I feel something's happened to my daughter; yes, I do.”
Heather left her east coast home on June 11 without mentioning her departure to her mother.
She was in the company of her 26-year-old boyfriend, Chris MacNeil.
Daye was reported missing last Friday and was believed to be in Whitehorse, where she had been in contact with the RCMP.
On Wednesday morning, police confirmed Heather and MacNeil are in Yellowknife after they received a number of calls from people who had seen the couple in that community.
Darlene said she wanted Heather to come home, but police said Heather has reached the age of consent and can make her own decisions.
"She's made her choice, and her mother probably doesn't agree with it and is concerned, and rightfully so, as a mother,” Rogers said this morning.
But Darlene received the phone call she was looking for Wednesday night.
"I'm glad I heard her voice, because just hearing that other people had seen her, I wasn't satisfied,” Darlene told the Star this morning.
During their conversation, Heather's father told her he will be going to the hospital for cancer treatment at the end of the month.
Heather said she would be home long before then to be with him.
Darlene said her daughter hasn't said why she left home, and Darlene didn't ask. She's just happy to hear her daughter is safe and on her way home.
Heather is expected to call her parents again this afternoon.
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Comments (6)
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Yukon Hootch on Aug 11, 2010 at 3:30 am
Now that she has been spoken to it sounds as if life back home is good enough that she is okay with returning home.
This girl's father has been diagnosed with cancer. One might view "maturity” as being mature enough to put their family's needs before their own.
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Happy Paws on Aug 10, 2010 at 12:09 am
As a person that left home at 17 (moved to the other side of the country) and never moved back, I'm glad I couldn't be dragged home. It's not like I came from a bad home or anything, I just wanted to make my own decisions and not have every aspect of my life controlled by my parents. I did fine and am a productive member of society - some of us are more mature than others.
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Don Rogers on Aug 8, 2010 at 12:43 pm
JC and Don McKenzie. Before you slam the RCMP educate yourself and if you check their website at www.yukonrcmp.ca then you will see that the RCMP posted the photo with their news release which is how the media gets their info. Perhaps you could ask the media why they did not direct people to the photo or why they did not post it until after she was found. The police did their job and did it well! You try balancing the protection of these two persons civil rights with the demands of a parent and an all expecting public that chooses to blame first before knowing all the facts.
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NBGIRL on Aug 7, 2010 at 12:50 pm
The laws need to be changed to 18. It was 14 yrs old, until a pedophile from the U.S. was caught in Moncton with a 14 yr old in a motel room!! They met on the internet and now she is going to have a long time before she recovers.. if she does....They come here to prey on our children, and Harper changed it to 16. This is still not old enough.
The RCMP had no reason to hold Chris McNeil, she was of age..16.. C'mon, break out a tail light and call her mother. Unless you do not have a child, sister, neice, etc.. how could you let her drive off with this creep???? I know I couldn't. Laws are made to be changed/broken, and sometimes a little common sense goes a long way. I am just so happy to hear she called her Mom and is alive !!!
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Don McKenzie on Aug 5, 2010 at 2:42 pm
You really expected a picture beforehand? How about all the times the RCMP give some lame description of a suspect, and suspects name, but can't be bothered to use one of the mugshots they have on file. People can be found faster if the public is brought in, and buys in.
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JC on Aug 5, 2010 at 7:52 am
Now they publish a picture of her, after she is found. Next time the police want the public's help, please cooperate. We'll even be happy to give you the brownie points.