Picture in Windspeaker recognized, missing boy found with relatives

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A picture published in Windspeaker helped to locate a 12-year old boy who went missing in June of last year.

Joseph Osecap's picture, published in a special October 1987 crime prevention issue was noticed by a secretary at the Prince Charles school in Edmonton who recognized Osecap as a former student.

"I couldn't really believe it. I thought, gee, that's one of ours that went missing," says Iris Hogg about the young boy who was a student at the school from April to June.

Hogg who remembers Osecap as a "quiet young boy" brought the photograph to the attention of principal David Forester who had received a request in September to transfer Joseph's records to a Saskatchewan school.

Forester contacted Det. Ken Anderson, a missing person coordinator, and from there it was discovered the young Cree boy was living with his grandmother on the Red Pheasant reserve nearby North Battleford, Saskatchewan.

Osecap was reported missing in June of 1987 by an aunt who was his legal guardian at the time, says Det. Anderson.

In a telephone interview from the Red Pheasant reserve Reginald Bugler, Joseph's uncle, says he is "going great" and is a good companion for his grandmother who he "helps out a lot."

Prior to seeing his picture in Windspeaker, the boy's grandmother was unaware that the had bee listed as a missing person, says Bugler. "All of a sudden he just showed up."

Bugler, a student guidance counsellor, says Joseph, now 13, is attending school on the reserve. His goal is to play hockey next year.

Last year 4,441 persons were reported missing in the city of Edmonton and the vast majority, like Osecap were under the age of 18.