2 years without answers, family of missing Edmonton woman desperate for her return
No phone calls, no new information and no trace of her.
Salwa Atwi hasn't heard from her beloved daughter Nadia Atwi in two years, and the Edmonton police officers investigating her disappearance haven't received any tips from the public in months.
"It's the hardest thing that could happen to anyone," Salwa said Sunday evening at a vigil for her daughter. "The pain of the fear, it's so hard. It hits you physically."
Police and hundreds of volunteers searched the city for signs of Nadia when she went missing in 2017 but to this day, Salwa said they haven't found any leads that point to her whereabouts.
"We don't have any solid evidence that Nadia is gone. We are always hoping she is somewhere," Salwa said.
"I miss you so much. I miss walking with you and your son. I miss your loud laugh. Please come back if you are able to, please."
She last saw her daughter on the evening of Dec. 7, 2017. They lived in the same northeast Edmonton neighbourhood and shared a ride to and from the south-side private school where they both worked as kindergarten teachers.
Nadia never showed up for school the next day.
Police say the 32-year-old was last seen by her husband at their home on the morning of Dec. 8. Her car was found in Rundle Park later that day, with her cell phone still inside.
Sgt. Kevin Harrison is with the missing persons unit, and attended the vigil where about 100 people lit candles in Rundle Park.
"The investigation remains open. Until such time as Nadia is found, it will never be closed," he said.
"It's important to remember that we are treating this as a missing-person investigation, that we don't know for sure what has happened to Nadia, and we … remain open to any possibility."
Harrison said the investigation was extensive in its earlier stages, with police exploring all tips and investigative avenues. On Sunday, he didn't have any new updates on the case, but urged the public to contact Edmonton police or Crime Stoppers if they have any information about Nadia's disappearance.
Last year, the family posted a $50,000 reward for information leading to her whereabouts, but nobody came forward. Salwa said they won't give up on Nadia until they find out what happened to her.
