‘Broken, angry, frustrated’: Families of missing man and woman plead for answers

Clutching photos of their missing loved ones and wiping away tears, the families of Autumn Shaganash and Dean Mattinas Jr. gathered at Barrie police headquarters Friday afternoon, hoping their emotional pleas for help would be heard by someone who could help bring them both home.

Shaganash went missing on June 10, 2023, with her last known location captured on surveillance video at her home off Anne Street, near Sunnidale Park in Barrie. She was 26 years old at the time of her disappearance.

Since she was reported missing, police said there has been no activity on her social media, and her family also said there has been no banking activity anywhere, and no health card records generated by any kind of medical visits.

In an unrelated disappearance, Dean Mattinas, 27, was last seen on March 18, 2024, believed to be hitchhiking from Constance Lake First Nation near Hearst to Thunder Bay. Mattinas is a member of Whitesand First Nation with family in Constance Lake First Nation.

The joint press conference brought together members from both families as well as leaders from Constance Lake First Nation, Ginoogaming First Nation and Whitesand First Nation. They renewed their appeal for information on the whereabouts of Shaganash and Mattinas, as well as urging all levels of government to “step up” and provide “much needed” support.

“She is loved and wanted,” said Esther Moore, Shaganash’s mother.

“We want to know where she is. It was hard for us not to know every day,” added Lili-Anne Moore, Shaganash’s sister. “We need to know where she is or what happened to her. Please help us.”

The family has not given up hope of finding the Barrie woman. They are continuing their efforts to find her, added Sharlene Moore, Shaganash’s aunt.

“We’ve been walking, we’ve been fundraising, and while we’re doing all of that, there’s a lot of pain behind it,” she said. “What would you do if it was your daughter… or your niece? The desperation we have to find Autumn… we just want her back and we want some answers.

“We want to hold Barrie police accountable for where the investigation is. We want answers. We want to know what’s going on because we’re not leaving here,” added the aunt.

The family has been “going through a nightmare”, said the missing woman’s uncle, Claire Moore.

“I don’t wish this on any family,” he said, adding that his niece had allegedly met a man about a week before her disappearance while at the Native Friendship Center in Barrie. “We need to involve all native organizations in what is happening. and to protect our children, our women. We need some closure on this and we need help.

“I spent a lot of time with Autumn. I miss her laugh,” added the uncle, choking back tears. “So somebody, please help us out there if you know anything.”

Although unrelated, the two families are from the same community, Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Deputy Grand Chief Anna Betty Achneepineskum said following the press conference.

“We thought it was important to bring them together, not only because they both have a missing person, but I think when families deal with these circumstances of a missing person, when they work together, they support each other and they have that network. , it helps them keep their strength knowing they are not alone,” she said.

Ginoogaming Nation Chief Sheri Taylor said both families feel neglected by those they are supposed to protect and serve.

“The pain and anguish their families are experiencing is immeasurable,” Taylor said. “They are heartbroken, angry and frustrated by the lack of urgency and seriousness from the authorities, whether it’s the Barrie Police, the OPP or their own community policing. “

Taylor said the lack of an “immediate and complete response” was “unacceptable” and highlighted a “systemic problem” he said needed urgent attention.

The purpose of Friday’s press conference, she explained, was to help amplify the voices of the thousands of missing Indigenous men and women across the country.

“The stories of our missing Indigenous women and men must be told with the same urgency and concern as any other missing person,” Taylor said. “I urge police forces … and governments to provide the necessary resources to our communities, our families. . It is imperative that we have the support to ensure the safety and security of our people.”

She said they include funding for search efforts, support services for families and programs aimed at preventing these types of tragedies in the future.

“We must come together as a society to address these injustices and ensure that every missing person is treated with the same level of seriousness and dedication,” Taylor said. “The lives of our Indigenous men, women and children matter and it is time that this truth is reflected and that there is transparency in our actions and our politics.”

Although Barrie police officials were not part of today’s event, Peter Leon, the department’s communications coordinator, did address the anguish of the families involved.

“You can tell there’s been a lot of pain and a lot of suffering,” he said. “It has been a very difficult year, we know, for Autumn and her family, but our service and our detectives have never lost sight. the goal from the very beginning and that was to reunite her with her family. That is the most important.

“This investigation will remain active and will remain ongoing until we can do that,” he added.

Anyone with information about the disappearance of Autumn Shaganash is urged to contact the Barrie Police Service Major Crimes Unit at 705-725-7025, ext. 2160.

Anyone with information about the disappearance of Dean Mattinas Jr. can contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122.

In either case, Crime Stoppers can also be reached at 1-800-222-TIPS.