MISSOULA – Activists and family members held a candlelight vigil for missing and murdered indigenous women at the University of Montana campus on Saturday.
54 Native American women went missing in Montana in 2018, according to the MMIW database.
Paula Castro, the mother of the recently discovered Henny Scott, spoke at the event. She says she did not know what to do after her daughter went missing.
“I believe if it didn’t take that long, then we would’ve found her, and she would’ve still been with us,” Castro says.
Henny Scott was found dead outside of Lame Deer on December 21, after being missing for two weeks, and Castro says she wants law enforcement to take parents seriously when their kids go missing.
The vigil was completely volunteer-led and was aimed at providing a platform for Native families with someone who has gone missing or been murdered.
About 200 community members attended the vigil, and family members, along with speakers from 13 organizations, told stories of loved ones.
Local and national organizations had speakers at the event.
Snacks and refreshments were provided inside the Native American Payne Family Building, close to a fire pit to help people stay warm during the hours-long gathering.
-Katie Miller reporting for MTN News
