Less than a week after they were last seen, Kwem Manuel-Gottfriedson has been found dead.
Manuel-Gottfriedson, who went by Kwem Anne Manuel on social media, would have turned 25 years old on Tuesday. Her online profiles suggest they lived in Vancouver.
Prior to being found deceased on July 30, Manuel-Gottfriedson was last seen in Coquitlam, but her phone’s last pinged location was the Astoria in Vancouver.
PLEASE SHARE! Missing Indigenous person
VANCOUVER, the Astoria, Kwem’s last pinged location. If you have seen Kwem please call Emily at 250-315-9953 or Sue at 250-378-7532.
Kwem was last seen seen wearing black crop top, dark blue high waisted jeans and black runners. pic.twitter.com/WWAWjdELO6
— MexicanYenta 🫵🫵🫵 (@fairywench_1) July 31, 2022
Manuel-Gottfriedson’s family shared the tragic news on Facebook.
The Vancouver Police Department told Daily Hive that Manuel-Gottfriedson was found inside a building near East Hastings Street and Hawks Avenue. That’s just one block from where two people were found dead in May, including 14-year-old Noelle O’Soup. She was from the Tri-Cities area and, like Manuel-Gottfriedson, was also Indigenous.
The BC Coroner Service is investigating the cause of death while the VPD Major Crime Section is investigating the circumstances around the death and disappearance.
“We are in contact with Kwem’s family and have been providing them investigative updates.”
Friends and family have been sharing the news of her passing and offering words of condolence.
“Thank you to everyone who helped support in looking for her, sharing the posters and checking in with Kwem’s family up until now. As the sun rises this am, they ask for privacy so they begin the work of her ceremony.”
Me and Kwem did this photoshoot together. They spoke proudly of what it meant to them to Okanagan, to be syilx. They were in Vancover at the YES Conference, full of hopes and dreams for their life. This news is absolutely devastating to our people. REST IN POWER 💜✊🏽 pic.twitter.com/ngU3phtjhF
— Kelsie Kilawna🌿🌺🌻(Marchand) (@kelsiemarchand) July 31, 2022