It’s been seven months since Autumn Shaganash mysteriously disappeared after leaving a family member’s home in Barrie, but her family is refusing to give up hope of bringing her home.
In an effort to find answers, Shaganash’s family has hired private investigator (PI) Derwin Johnson of Toronto-based Present Truth Investigations, Lili-Anne Moore, Shaganash’s sister, told BarrieToday on Saturday.
“Hopefully, we can get some answers. The police are doing what they can, and I still talk to them on a regular basis. They have a lot of stuff to deal with, but a PI (can) focus on one case,” she said. “Not that we don’t trust the police, but just for someone that can focus on one case. We are still working with the police.”
Shaganash, who was 26 at the time of her disappearance, was last seen leaving the home, located in the Allandale neighbourhood near Burton Avenue and Frank’s Way, on the night of June 9, 2023. She was last seen wearing a black hoodie, shorts, Puma sandals, and carrying a black and tan purse.
A missing person investigation was launched on June 12, when local police were notified of her disappearance. At the time, Barrie police communications co-ordinator Peter Leon told BarrieToday one of Shaganash’s family members received a text message from her on June 10 but noted she was unreachable after.
Leon said it appeared from investigative resources that are available to police that she had “vanished into thin air,” adding Shaganash’s social media activity had ceased following her disappearance.
Investigators “pinged her cellphone” — a method of determining the estimated current location of a cellphone by using GPS data or by using cell-tower triangulation — and she was last pinged in the Kozlov Street area, which is where she was last seen, in Sunnidale Park. Sunnidale Park has been searched numerous times by police drones and canine search teams, since her disappearance, but to no avail.
Moore said there has been no telephone or banking activity since her disappearance.
“Her phone is still off. It hasn’t been turned on since June 10. It’s very hard. We don’t know anything at all, but someone out there knows something and is not coming forward,” she said.
In a news release sent by Johnson to BarrieToday on Friday, he noted there is the “unsettling prospect of human trafficking, an aspect that merits meticulous examination by the authorities.”
“It’s possible,” said Moore. “We are just trying to think positive, but it’s very hard living with no leads at all … absolutely nothing. I know the last person she was seen with. I feel deep down he knows more than what he is saying to the police, but there’s only so much we can do.”
Police, stated Johnson, have been diligently reaching out to individuals associated with Shaganash, and are striving to compile a comprehensive understanding of the events leading up to her disappearance.
“The emotional toll on the Shaganash family is profound, as they navigate through a spectrum of emotions ranging from sorrow to numbness. In these trying times, the community is called upon to maintain vigilance and remain attuned to any potential leads,” he stated.
Johnson noted that in an effort to unearth potential clues, the family has gained access to Shaganash’s digital footprint, and has discovered a message sent in the early hours of June 10, which “alluded to her presence at an unspecified location.”
“Tragically, subsequent attempts at communication proved futile, intensifying the urgency of the ongoing investigation,” he stated, adding he’s urging anyone who may have any pertinent information to either call 911 or reach out to Barrie police. “In the collaborative pursuit of truth and resolution, it is noteworthy that Present Truth Investigations is actively engaged in supporting the Shaganash family. Their professional acumen and steadfast commitment serve as instrumental components in the ongoing efforts to ascertain the whereabouts of Ms. Shaganash. We extend our appreciation to the community for their unwavering support during this challenging period. May our collective efforts yield valuable insights and contribute to the safe return of Autumn Shaganash.”
Moore has plans to meet with Johnson next week in Barrie.
“I am hoping we get some answers — maybe something from her social media that we can’t get into or get information from ... We will see,” she said.
Despite everything, Moore said she and her family are remaining hopeful her sister will be returned, safe, to them one day.
“We really miss her. She was like a second mom to my girls. She loved them very much and she would never run away from us. She was always in contact with family (and) if she went out, she would text us,” said Moore. “This is very out of character. Something happened and someone has her. I just hope she’s found safe and alive.”
The family has set up a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the costs of the private investigator.
