It has been 18 years since Danita Bigeagle was last seen in Regina. Since then, her mother Diane Bigeagle has been persistent, not letting her daughter’s name be forgotten. She is urging anyone with information to come forward. “Hopefully someone had remorse or guilt and they’ll give her back. If I have to wait another 20 years, I don’t think I’ll last. Hopefully I get her back and put her to rest,” she said. On Feb. 11, 2007, Danita Bigeagle was last seen on Victoria Avenue, east of downtown Regina. She was 22 years old at the time, and the mother of two young children. Over the years, Bigeagle followed a number of leads and conducted various searches. She has travelled to a number of Canadian cities including Vancouver, B.C. and Toronto, Ont. to look for her daughter. Missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG) has become a national issue, bringing attention to the disappearance of Bigeagle. Connie Big Eagle is the Chief of Ocean Man First Nation. She has been a supporter in finding Bigeagle and addressing systemic issues impacting MMIWG searches. “The Justice system teaches society how to treat our people,” Big Eagle said. “Whether that’s the RCMP or city police need to take these things seriously, so that the rest of society will take it seriously,” she added. The Regina Police Service said Bigeagle’s case remains open and they are actively pursuing leads. They are asking anyone with any information to please come forward. Diane Bigeagle said she has received much support over the years, helping her deal with the many unanswered questions she has. “I wonder where the heck [Danita] is, who took her and why,” the mother said. “It was hard. It’s still hard. We have no closure, my family and I.”
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