The 17 year search for Jennifer Catcheway

Bernice and Wilfred Catcheway share their 17-year journey searching for their daughter, missing since her 18th birthday.

The parents of a missing teenager are continuing their search after their daughter disappeared 17 years ago today.

Jennifer Catcheway went missing on her 18th birthday on June 19, 2008. The teen was on her way home from Grand Rapids to her parents’ home in Portage la Prairie, but she never made it.

Jennifer’s parents’, Bernice and Wilfred Catcheway, said every day without their daughter has been difficult.

Bernice said it still feels like her daughter just disappeared, though years have passed.

“It’s been 17 years today she hasn’t been home,” she said in an interview with CTV Morning Live on Thursday.

“We haven’t heard from her. We’ve been searching for her every summer right to the fall.”

During their search, the family has looked far beyond where Jennifer went missing, with Wilfred saying they’ve looked from Grand Rapids all the way to Pine Creek First Nation.

“There’s a lot of stories we have to follow up and it’s hard to deal with the false rumours,” he said, noting that to this day they are still getting tips.

Bernice and Wilfred plan to resume their search for Jennifer in the next few weeks, with Bernice saying she believes there’s someone out there who can help solve the case.

“We have information, we have video footage, we have things like that,” she said.

“But we need that person to come forward anonymously, any which way you can get the message to me or Crime Stoppers.”

The parents are holding a barbecue on Sagkeeng First Nation on June 29 to mark Jennifer’s birthday and all are welcome.

- With files from CTV’s Rachel Lagacé