On a cold winter day in Manitoba, eight-year-old Deanne Leigh Bousquet was playing with two other children on the ice of the Saskatchewan River near Rahls Island. It was January 25, 1981, a day that would end in tragedy. The ice in the area was deceptively thin, weakened by warm water being discharged from a nearby mill. As the children played, the ice suddenly gave way, and Deanne and another child plunged into the frigid water below.
The other child managed to pull themselves out of the icy river, but Deanne, a young girl with brown hair and blue eyes, was not as fortunate. She struggled in the cold water and was last seen going under the surface. At the time of her disappearance, she was wearing a black balaclava, a white and blue ski jacket, white ski pants, and brown rubber boots. Police were called to the scene to investigate the drowning, but despite their efforts, Deanne was gone.
Immediate and subsequent searches of the river were conducted in an attempt to find the young girl. However, the efforts to locate her were unsuccessful, and her body was never recovered from the water. Deanne Leigh Bousquet is presumed to have perished in the river that day. Though decades have passed since she was last seen, she remains listed as a missing person. The case is a heartbreaking reminder of a childhood game that turned into a devastating accident, leaving a family and community with unanswered questions and the enduring pain of loss.Last Seen: Jan 25, 1981
