'If you know something, please come forward': Ashley Morin's family marks 7 years since disappearance

It's been seven years since Ashley Morin was last seen in North Battleford, Sask.

Every day since has been painful for her family.

"Not knowing is what really kills us — the silence," Janine Morin said on Thursday, as she was preparing to host the annual awareness walk for her sister.

The walk began at 11 a.m. at the Gold Eagle Casino, near where a billboard about Ashley stands, and continued downtown to the library.

Family and friends have walked every year to bring awareness to Ashley's disappearance. For the first four years, they walked from Saskatoon to North Battleford, but for the last couple of years they have held the walk in North Battleford.

Ashley, from Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation, was 31 years old when she was reported missing on July 10, 2018.

One year later, RCMP announced they believe she was the victim of a homicide.

The case remains active. Last month, police conducted a search of rivers and riverbanks in the Battlefords area as part of their investigation.

Police also posted a video on social media this week to mark the seven-year anniversary of Ashley's disappearance.

"To the individual or individuals responsible for Ashley's disappearance, we will not stop investigating until you're held accountable and we can tell Ashley's loved ones what happened to her," RCMP Insp. Ashley St. Germaine said in the video.

Janine Morin said her family has become part of a larger family of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls "that no one wants to be a part of," but they receive tremendous support from each other.

She mentioned the family of Happy Charles, who was last seen in Prince Albert in April 2017, and the family of Megan Gallagher, who was killed in September 2020.

"They've been beside us through thick and thin ever since the first time we met them," Janine said.

The reward her family is offering for information about Ashley has increased to $30,000. She said her family will continue raise awareness as long as they need to, but what she wants is to bring her sister home.

"If you know something, please come forward," she said. "Ashley is loved. She is missed dearly by friends, family, community members. Make a call to Crime Stoppers anonymously. Just please speak up."