Missing teen's family pleads for help

The family of Hilary Bonnell is begging for help to find the teenager who disappeared from the Eskinuopitijk First Nation almost three weeks ago.

Sherry Ward, Bonnell's aunt, is asking people in the northeastern New Brunswickcommunity of Eskinuopitijk, commonly known as Burnt Church, to check their own properties for the missing teenager.

"There is a predator out there. Hilary did not run away. Somebody had to have taken her for her not to be here," Ward said.

"There was no need for her to run away. She would have never run away. That's why we're asking for help. Anyone and everyone look in your backyards, pray, if you see anything call 911, do something."

Ward said nothing like this has ever happened on their reserve.

The Eskinuopitijk First Nation is offering a $15,000 reward to anyone with information leading to her safe return.

Police, family and friends have been searching for the 16-year-old by air and on the ground.

And on Tuesday, members of the reserve marched along the community's streets to bring attention to Bonnell's disappearance.

She said people are scared and young people are being warned not to walk anywhere alone.

Pamela Fillier, Bonnell's mother, said the ordeal is a "bad dream" that she cannot seem to wake up from.

"I wish to God I could [wake up]. I wish this was just a bad dream," Fillier said.

"This don't happen around here. Anybody that brings her home, even if it's the people that have her, they could have the reward, just bring her home."

Bonnell was last seen walking along Highway 11 at about 7:30 a.m. on Sept. 5. She disappeared after attending a party with friends the night before on the Eskinuopitijk First Nation, known as Burnt Church.

Bonnell is aboriginal, has dark eyes and black, shoulder-length hair. She is five feet five inches tall and weighs about 134 pounds. She was last seen wearing a purple T-shirt, a black sweater, jean shorts and sandals.