Foul play not suspected after RCMP find remains of woman who vanished in central Alberta 19 months ago

The RCMP say they have discovered the remains of 22-year-old Christine Cardinal a year-and-a-half after she went missing in Saddle Lake, Alta., and that foul play is not suspected.

Cardinal was last seen on the morning of Oct. 13, 2016, about one kilometre north of the Bison Auto gas station in Saddle Lake.

After not hearing from her, Cardinal’s family became concerned. In the days that followed, RCMP resources and RCMP Air Services joined forces in an effort to find the missing woman.

READ MORE: RCMP renew plea for help finding Alberta woman who vanished almost 2 months ago

On Tuesday, officers from the St. Paul RCMP detachment responded to a report of human remains being discovered in Saddle Lake. Mmebers of the RCMP’s Forensic Identification Section and Major Crimes Unit also went to the scene to investigate.

An autopsy was conducted in Edmonton on Thursday. Police said the human remains were identified as being Cardinal’s.

While foul play is not suspected, police said an exact cause of death has yet to be determined.

“Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Christine during this difficult time,” the RCMP said in a news release issued on Friday.

Saddle Lake is about 170 kilometres northeast of Edmonton.