Mother of missing Tamra Keepness dies, search continues 19 years after disappearance
REGINA – It’s a reality that Erica Beaudin often sees.
The head of Cowessess First Nation said on Wednesday she has been working with Indigenous families where parents and grandparents die before their missing children are found.
And it’s what happened to Tamra Keepness’ mom, Lorena Keepness, who died suddenly at the end of May. She was 49.
“This is too often a reality for our families of (missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls),” Beaudin said, offering her condolences to the Keepness family.
The chef spoke at an annual barbecue on the occasion of Tamra’s disappearance. It has been 19 years since she was last seen at her home in Regina. The child was five years old.
A sense of mourning hung over the event this year as attendees reflected on the loss of the family.
Beaudin described the mother as devoted to her children.
“She was an incredibly beautiful, complex mind. She was a woman who loved her children dearly,” she said.
“And unfortunately, when we look at some of the systemic issues facing Indigenous people, especially Indigenous women, we can look at a path of injustice for Lorena in terms of the system not working with her.”
The mother’s obituary described her being strong in her faith.
It also said she was protective of her family and was known to be open, honest and straightforward.
“She was truly one of a kind and left a legacy of love and perseverance,” the obituary read.
Police and community members hold the annual barbecue to remind people that the search for Tamra continues.
Regina Police Supt. Jeff Wagner said agents spent thousands upon thousands of hours investigating the cold case.
He said police receive about 10 tips a year and each tip is thoroughly investigated.
Wagner declined to comment on how Lorena Keepness’s death affected the investigation.
“We always have the hope that someone knows what happened, then we hope that someone comes forward and gives us the information we need,” he said.
“Some files are just difficult. They are difficult to solve and complete.”
Beaudin said the Keepness family will keep hope no matter how long it takes.
“We hold that love, that faith and that concern for the family,” she said.
“And we always remember that special unique place that individual, that mother, that sister, that loved one has in their family and their community.”
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on July 5, 2023.
