Body of Regina woman swept away in B.C. river found

The search for a mother of two from Regina, who had fallen into a river in British Columbia, is over.

Search for Kristi Lavallee, known to her family as Jessie, comes to end

CBC News ·
On May 11, Clearwater RCMP received a 911 call that said Kristi Lavallee — known by family as Jessie — fell into the Mad River near Highway 5 north of Vavenby, B.C. (Submitted by Terri Lavallee)

The search for a mother of two from Regina who had fallen into a river in British Columbia is over.

The body of Kristi Lavallee — known to her family as Jessie — was found in the North Thompson River in south Barriere, B.C., according to Clearwater RCMP. 

RCMP had received a report on May 11 that a woman had fallen into the raging waters of the Mad River, and been swept away in the fast-flowing current. Police, search and rescue personnel, and RCMP air services conducted an extensive ground and aerial search but couldn't find Lavallee. 

Her family left Saskatchewan for British Columbia, to seek answers as the search went on.

"We're just going day by day," her sister Terri Lavallee told CBC at the time. "Every day, we have hope they're going to find her."

On Wednesday, Clearwater RCMP were notified a body had been located in a river, which was later identified as Lavallee.

Police said there is no evidence there was anything criminal in the 31-year-old woman's death and that they have passed the matter on to the B.C. coroners service.