Keepness family mourns loss of mother at anniversary barbecue

Nineteen years after her disappearance, the Keepness family is still left wondering what happened to five-year old Tamra.

Wednesday marked the anniversary of the girl’s disappearance from her Regina home on the 1800 block of Ottawa Street in 2004.

Just a few blocks over, in the Core Community Park, an annual barbecue was held in her honour.

This year’s anniversary was missing a regular face in the crowd. Tamra’s mother Lorena died in May at the age of 49.

Chief Erica Beaudin has served as a voice for the family since Tamra went missing. She spoke on their behalf again Wednesday.

“The family continue to go on with searching for their sister and waiting for their sister to come home, but now they are also mourning the loss of their mother,” said Beaudin.

She said the family remains hopeful that one day Tamra will come home.

The community came out in big numbers to remember Tamra. Cars filled 11th Avenue and a long line of people waited in the park.

People shared laughs, hugs and memories of Tamra or their own missing loved ones.

Heather Bear, a vice chief with the FSIN, said the community getting together is crucial for healing.

“Tamara Keepness, she had a purpose in this world. She still has a purpose, and that’s bringing us together,” said Bear.

“She brings us together in the spirit of awareness and reminding that (missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls will be) finally eliminated.”

The barbecue was hosted by the Regina Treaty/Status Indian Services with help from the Regina Police Service.

Superintendent Jeff Wagner said the police have not forgotten about Tamra.

While her investigation is considered a cold case, it is still open. He said they receive as many as 10 tips a year about the case, and all are investigated thoroughly.

Wagner said the RCMP making an arrest in the Misha Pavelick case last month gave them additional hope with this historic case.

“We always have hope that someone knows what happened, and we hope that someone would come forward and give us some information that we need,” he said.

Tamra’s case is one of 17 long-term missing persons cases in Regina. She remains the only one to go missing as a child.

Anyone with information on the case was asked to contact the Regina Police Service at 306-777-6500 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.