BARRIE - Holding photos of their missing loved ones and wiping away tears, the families Autumn Shaganash and Dean Mattinas Jr. gathered inside Barrie Police Headquarters on Friday afternoon in the hope their emotional pleas for help would be heard by someone who can help bring them both home.
Shaganash vanished on June 10, 2023, with her last known location captured on a home surveillance video near Anne Street, close to Sunnidale Park in Barrie. She was 26 years old at the time of her disappearance.
Since being reported missing, police have said there has been no activity on her social media and her family has also said there has been no banking activity recorded anywhere and no health-card records generated by any kind of medical visits.
In an unrelated disappearance, 27-year-old Dean Mattinas 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 news 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 into Shaganash's and Mattinas' whereabouts, as well as to urge all levels of government to “step up” and provide “much-needed” support.
“She is loved and missed,” said Esther Moore, Shaganash's mother.
“We want to know where she is. It’s been hard for us not knowing 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 in finding the Barrie woman. They continue their efforts to find her, added Sharlene Moore, Shaganash's aunt.
“We’ve been on foot, we’ve done fundraising and while doing all that there’s a lot of pain behind that," she said. "What would you do if it was your daughter … or your granddaughter? 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 been going on because we are not going away here," the aunt added.
The family has been “going through a nightmare”, said the missing woman’s uncle, Claire Moore.
“I don’t wish this upon any family," he said, adding his niece had reportedly met a man about a week before her disappearance while at the Barrie Native Friendship Centre. "We have to get all native organizations involved with what’s going on and to protect our children, our women. We need some closure to 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 something.”
Although unconnected, the two families are from the same community, Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Deputy Grand Chief Anna Betty Achneepineskum told BarrieToday following the news conference.
“We thought it was important that we bring them together, not only because both of them have a missing person, but I believe when families are dealing with these circumstances of a missing person, when they work together, support each other and have that network, it helps them maintain strength knowing that they’re not alone," she said.
Ginoogaming First Nation Chief Sheri Taylor said both families feel neglected by those who are supposed to protect and serve.
“The pain and anguish their families are experiencing aren’t measurable," Taylor said. "They are broken, upset and frustrated with the lack of urgency and seriousness from the authorities, whether it be Barrie police, OPP or their own community policing.”
Taylor said the lack of an “immediate and thorough response” is “unacceptable” and highlights a “systemic issue” that she says needs urgent attention.
The goal of Friday’s news 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 the police forces … and governments to provide the necessary resources to our communities, to our families. It’s imperative we have the support to ensure the safety and security of our people."
She said this included funding for search efforts, support service 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 every missing person is treated with the same level of seriousness and dedication," said Taylor. "The lives of our Indigenous men, women and children matter and it’s time this truth is reflected and that there’s transparency in our actions and in our policy."
Although Barrie police officials were not part of today’s event, Peter Leon, the department’s communications co-ordinator, did address the anguish of the families involved.
“You can tell there’s a lot of pain and a lot of suffering that’s gone on," he said. "It’s been a very difficult year, we know, for Autumn and her family, but our service and our detectives have never lost sight of the goal from the outset and that’s been to reunite her with her family. That’s what is most important.
“This investigation will remain active and remain ongoing until we are able to do that," he added.
Anyone with any information on the disappearance of Autumn Shaganash is urged to contact the Barrie Police Service Major Crime Unit at 705-725-7025, ext. 2160.
Anyone with any information on the disappearance of Dean Mattinas Jr. can contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
In both cases, Crime Stoppers can also be reached at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
