It is the one-year anniversary of the deaths of an entire family, approximately 12 metres from the Canada/U.S. border.

January 19th, 2022, Manitoba RCMP discovered four bodies near Emerson, Manitoba. They died from exposure. The mother and father aged 37 and 39 respectively, their 11-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son were from India.

Investigators believe the family was dropped off near the border and were attempting to enter the United States on foot with a larger group of people, when they became separated and succumbed to the elements.

The bodies of Dad -Jagdishkumar Patel, daughter-Vihangi and son-Dharmik were located together. The body of Mom-Vaishaliben was located a short distance away from her family.

An investigation has determined that the Patel’s traveled from India into Canada and “their attempt to gain entry into the United States was an organized and thought-out operation likely being run by a human smuggling network.”

Investigators, however, continue to have a gap between their last known location in southern Ontario on January 16th and their arrival to Emerson on the evening of January 18th.

If anyone has information on the Patel family’s stay between January 14-16 in the Mississauga area and the City of Welland, Ontario, as well as their travel from Ontario to Manitoba, please call Manitoba RCMP Major Crime Services at 431-489-8551, or you can report it to Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.