Missing Nova Scotia girl was slain, police say

Police have launched a homicide investigation into the death of a 12-year-old girl who disappeared from Bridgewater.

Investigators confirmed Thursday that the body found on the snowy shores of the LaHave River was that of Karissa Boudreau.

"We're looking at a homicide here," RCMP Const. Grant Webber told reporters.

Police would not say how Karissa died or when, or whether she was killed at the spot where her body was found last Saturday outside the small Nova Scotia town.

However, they are calling Karissa's death an "isolated incident," and said Bridgewater residents should feel safe in their community.

"I can't get into too much in the way of specifics. That's the investigators' thoughts on it at this point," said Bridgewater police Sgt. John Collyer.

Police said there are no suspects.

Penny Boudreau said she and her daughter argued in the parking lot of the Sobeys grocery store on Jan. 27, and when she returned to the car a short time later, Karissa was gone.

Two days later, Boudreau made a public plea for her daughter to return home or call. She said Karissa was only wearing light clothing and pink plastic Crocs.

Karissa's photograph was widely distributed. Police said they were following up on a number of tips, but none led to the missing girl. Two aerial searches and an underwater search of the LaHave River near the Sobeys turned up no sign of her.

Then late Saturday morning, a passerby found a body on the outskirts of the town.

Collyer said Thursday the body was on the same side of the river and "within walking distance" of where Karissa lived. He also said there had been no ground search of that area.

An autopsy was done Wednesday in Halifax. Police said the identification was made through dental records.

People in the community had been anxiously awaiting any news about Karissa.

"Obviously, this is going to hit the community pretty hard," Collyer said, quickly adding he considers Bridgewater a "pretty safe" place.

"I just want them to know that the full resources of the Bridgewater Police Service and the RCMP are involved in this investigation and we're putting all of our efforts into trying to bring this to a successful resolution."

Collyer said the last homicide in Bridgewater was in 1993.