Regina woman submits DNA sample for comparison to Winnipeg's Jane Doe

A Regina woman is one step closer to finding out whether a body pulled from Winnipeg's Red River is her long-lost mother, thanks to a DNA sample she provided to local police on Tuesday.

"[At] 11:23 yesterday morning; I won't ever forget that," Barbara Desjarlais told CBC News.

"The Regina officer said he was here at the request of the Winnipeg police."

It was a bittersweet victory that might finally provide answers about what happened to her mother, Audrey Desjarlais.

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But regardless of the results, it could come with a price — renewed heartache.

Audrey Desjarlais, who left her family more than 15 years ago, relocated to Manitoba and was last known to be living in Steinbach. But she always kept in touch, her daughter said, until almost four years ago, when all correspondence suddenly stopped.

Then in 2012, the unidentified human remains of a woman were pulled from the Red River.

Little is known about this "Jane Doe," except this: she was about five feet five inches tall, had long dark hair and was thin. She had a full set of dentures and, based on how she was dressed, she was likely homeless or at least transient.

Barb Desjarlais's mother was about the same height, about the same colouring and also had a full set of dentures.

Furthermore, Jane Doe was wearing a distinctive necklace that matched a ring Barb Desjarlais had — a ring that was given to her by her mother.

Eerie resemblance

But it was a police sketch of Jane Doe that first led the Winnipeg Police Service to Barb, her family said.

The sketch bore an eerie resemblance to her mother and as a result of that, family said, Winnipeg police received a tip and contacted Desjarlais to tell her they thought the body was her mother.

Soon after, however, they called back to say they weren't certain anymore, based on alleged sightings of Audrey Desjarlais elsewhere in the province.

As a result, authorities decided not to take a DNA sample from Barb to do the comparison.

That changed on Tuesday. After CBC News went public with Barb's story, Winnipeg police said they would revisit the case.

Hours later, Desjarlais was contacted by Regina authorities who took the DNA sample. Winnipeg police confirmed that the sample will be sent to Manitoba to be analyzed and compared to Jane Doe's.

Desjarlais said she expects to know the results within 20 days.