THUNDER BAY – The mother of missing Josiah Begg is begging her son to come back to his family.
In a video produced by the Thunder Bay Police Service and released Monday evening, Sunshine Winter implores the teen who has been missing for more than a week to return home.
“It’s like the worst thing I ever imagined but a thousand times worse,” Winter said through tears.
“I want you home. Please come home. You’re not in any trouble or anything. I just want you back.
The 14-year-old from Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation was in Thunder Bay visiting his father and has been missing since May 6.
Winter described her son as being “very smart, determined, very outgoing.”
“We love you so much. We’re all here. Me, your dad, grandma, all your brothers, your sister, your aunts, uncles, everybody is here for you Jo,” Winter said.
Josiah Begg is described as an Aboriginal male, about 5-foot-8 and weighing about 120 pounds. He has short brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a red baseball cap, red hoodie, and grey and white sweat pants.
City police conducted extensive ground searches last week in areas where they believe he was last seen with no results.
No further police ground searches have been conducted as investigators continue to follow new leads.
Earlier Monday, Thunder Bay Police Service Staff Sgt. Ryan Hughes said investigators are still trying to nail down the boy’s last reported sighting. They have surveillance video of him at the Water Street bus terminal around 9 p.m. while other reports placed him at the Vale Community Centre close to 10 p.m.
“We’ve been having conflicting stories because some of the witnesses said he was in the south end and then we were getting video of him in the north end at the same time, so officers are following up all the leads,” Hughes said. “We are still looking into some video around the Limbrick Street area, the Vale Complex, to see if we can view him within the complex or in the area.”
Also appearing in the video is Mike McKay, the boy’s grandfather. He said the family appreciates the efforts of community groups and volunteers that have assisted with searching.
“We thank you very much for that support and we continue asking for more to give us your support and help us in any way you can,” McKay said. “No assistance is too small. Anything is appreciated and everything is appreciated.”
He urged anyone who might know something to come forward.
“We know that any bit of information is helpful,” McKay said. “All we are looking to do or asking is to locate and bring home Josiah Begg,”
Anyone with information on Josiah Begg are asked to contact Thunder Bay Police at 684-1200 or the NAN Search and Command Centre, now located at Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School, at 630-1982.
