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On December 27th, 2007 24-year-old Lorilee Mae Francis was reported missing by her family.

Francis was last seen on October 20th, 2007 in Grande Prairie, Alberta. She usually contacted family during the Christmas season, however she did not do so this past year.

23 years old at the time of her disappearance, Francis was described at 5-feet 2-inches (157 cm), 121 lbs (55 kg), with brown hair and eyes. It is not known if she has tattoos or other distinguishing marks.

A larger image of Francis can be seen here. Her missing person bulletin can be seen at the www.albertamissingpersons.ca web site (opens as a .pdf file).

Francis was a member of the Beaver First Nation and also went by the name Kelly. She had two daughters.

On March 14th, 2008 Grande Prairie RCMP released details of Francis' disappearance and confirmed that Project KARE, the task force looking into missing and murdered Edmonton-area sex trade workers, was notified.

Police stated they believe Francis led a high-risk lifestyle.

Those with information about Lorilee Mae Francis were asked to contact Grande Prairie RCMP at 780-830-5700, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), Project KARE at 780-495-KARE (5273) or 1-877-412-KARE (5273) or online at www.tipsubmit.com

Tips can also be text messaged. In Edmonton, text TIP250 + message and send to CRIMES (274637). In Northern Alberta, text TIP205 + message and send to CRIMES (274637).

"When you think of high-risk, you think of things like being on the street, perhaps drug use," said Cpl. Riz Suleman.

The Grande Prairie RCMP officer did not rule out the possibility that Lorilee Francis was involved in prostitution in the community 450 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.

"She was known to frequent Grande Prairie. Her family is from elsewhere in the province ... Unfortunately, with a person who doesn't have a very typical lifestyle, it's hard to know where they are or where they're not."

"We don't have any definite proof (of direct ties to prostitution and drugs), but that is certainly a suspicion that we do have – that whole high-risk lifestyle," Suleman said.

"From what we know she was not overly involved or in lots of communication with her family, however it was her practice to call family every December at Christmastime," he said. "When that didn't happen, some more alerts were raised and our investigation certainly was ongoing.

"And now we're at a place where we're asking for the public's help."

The Grande Prairie detachment is leading the investigation.

Suleman said the type of lifestyle Francis was leading explains the delay in reporting her disappearance.

"Most folks who have regular contact with regular people – whether friends or co-workers, family or whatnot – if you're missing for a day or two, then someone's going to raise the alert," he explained.

"But, and this is very hypothetical, if you're in a situation where you don't have those regular, everyday contacts, then being missing may not be so apparent so quickly."

Suleman said due to Alberta's economic boom the number of people in Grande Prairie living high-risk lifestyles has increased.

In Francis' case, it's not clear whether something has happened to her or if she is simply out of the city, the province or even the country.

"We don't know," Suleman said. "This is why our investigators have asked us to go to the media and the public for assistance – so that if anyone has heard the name, knows her or has seen her, they can give police a call."

The Edmonton Journal contacted members of Lorilee's family.

Connie Francis said her niece used to dance like Tina Turner, letting her long brown hair hang down before jerking her neck back so that her hair would fly up in a flurry. Lorilee would fall over, laughing.

"Tears came to her eyes," Connie said recalling the antics for the Journal. "She would try to be serious, but she's not."

That was about five years ago, Connie said. "The years go by so fast." Then Lorilee became involved in the "drug business."

The last the family heared, Lorilee was living in Grande Prairie with her boyfriend. Lance, Lorilee's younger brother, saw her when he was passing through the city with work. After that, contact with Lorilee was lost.

Sometimes it would be months between calls to her family, but Lorilee usually phoned around the holidays.

"Christmas 2007 we didn't get a phone call. All we got was a big scare," Connie said.

While RCMP were cautious in saying that Lorilee lived a high-risk lifestyle, family members were blunt.

"She was into the drug business," Connie said.

Crack cocaine, Lorilee's mother Vivienne Ferguson specified.

But both women agreed she was not a prostitute. If Lorilee was involved in the sex trade, she would have said something.

"She was very open and honest, a straight-to-the-point kind of person, Connie said.

Vivienne last saw her daughter a year ago.

"She came to see me when I was living in Grimshaw. "I hadn't been seeing her because she was embarrassed of her addictions," she said.

Connie found it difficult to understand how such a "sweet" person could let drugs take over.

"She was a very responsible mother when she had her oldest." Lorilee's daughters, aged 5 and 3, are now with family.

"I would like her to call me on my cellphone or her grandma's number. This way she's not like scared or something," Vivienne said. "We were like best friends. We were able to talk to each other about anything and everything.

"I pray every day for her," Vivienne said, hoping her daughter was with one of her friends that she often stayed with.

"She'd help out, being a nanny I guess," she offered.

deadmonton 2007 - lorilee mae francis