Saskatchewan RCMP have called off the Amber Alert for seven-year-old Nia Eastman after she was found dead by investigators.
An Amber Alert was issued by police on Wednesday (9 November), after the child was not returned to her mother. Officers discovered Nia Eastman’s body at a home in Choiceland, near Nipawin, where locals say that her father was renting a property.
In an emotionally charged press conference, RCMP Inspector Jennifer Ebert broke the news of the girl’s death. “All of us had hoped and prayed Nia would be located safely,” she said.
“This was not the outcome any of us were hoping for and our thoughts are with her family and the communities.”
The inspector said police officials were attempting to trace the timeline of what happened after the child’s father collected her from school on Wednesday, according to Metro News.
“Our investigators are working diligently to determine exactly what took place,” Ebert said. “At this point in the investigation, there is no indication anyone else was involved in Nia’s death and we are not seeking any suspects.”
A Facebook page believed to belong to Adam Jay Eastman showed many images of a little girl smiling with her father. On Wednesday, the page’s cover photo showed a skull and crossbones with the caption: “Leave me alone. I’ve had enough.” That was the final post.
A businesswoman who knew Eastman told Star News that the dead man and his wife had separated two months ago. The woman, who did not want to be named, said Nia was their only child, but Eastman had two other children from a previous relationship.
“He was having mental issues. Him and his wife split up. It wasn’t a good situation,” she said.
Agencies/Canadajournal