River search fails to find missing girl

posted on 02/06/08

An underwater search of the LaHave River has failed to turn up any sign of 12-year-old Karissa Boudreau.

Divers spent all day Wednesday probing the freezing water behind the Bridgewater Mall and down river as far as Shipyards Landing. But after two days of searching, Sgt. John Collyer of the Bridgewater Police Service said the RCMP dive team is confident Karissa isn’t there.

“They found nothing,” Sgt. Collyer said late Wednesday. “It’s their professional opinion that the tides would not effect the drifts of a body significantly. If she went in somewhere in that vicinity, she should have been found.”

There has been no sign of Karissa since January 27 when her mother left her in the family car outside the Sobeys store at the Bridgewater Mall around 5:30 p.m. When Penny Boudreau returned about 15 minutes later, Karissa was gone.

Since then, a large-scale police investigation has had no results. Karissa’s family has made two public pleas for her return. Police have scoured the area twice from a helicopter without success.

Investigators continue chasing down leads. After calls slowed down on Sunday and Monday, Sgt. Collyer said tips from the public have started coming in again in the past two days. One report of a possible sighting in the Barrington area was not Karissa.

If anyone knows Karissa Boudreau’s whereabouts, they are asked to call the Bridgewater Police at 543-2464.