More than 40 search-and-rescue volunteers are helping Edmonton police expand their search for a pregnant woman who disappeared on her way to work five days ago.
Liana White, a 29-year-old woman who is married with one daughter, disappeared without a trace on Tuesday.
The volunteers joined the police on Sunday to look through ditches, bushes and open fields near the woman's house. Sniffer dogs were also being used.
"If they come across evidence or a crime scene they know what to do and they're just here as trained individuals wanting to help out," Edmonton police spokesman Adrian Marr said.
The police, who have assigned more than a dozen detectives to the case, said it is baffling.
Marr said that so far, they're treating White's disappearance as a missing person's case, not a criminal matter. No evidence of foul play has been uncovered.
White left for work early Tuesday morning. Her SUV was found abandoned with the driver's door open in a park about two kilometres from her house.
Her wallet, keys, cellphone and shoes were found scattered in and around the vehicle. There were no signs of violence nor a struggle.
Police spokesmen have said her husband, Michael White, is not a suspect.
They also said there are discrepancies between the time he said she left home and the time that witnesses spotted her vehicle.
Marie Olah, who regularly cuts across the lot where the SUV was found to get to the YMCA for her morning workout, told CBC News earlier this week she saw the vehicle with the door open before 6 a.m.
White told police his wife left home for work at 6:15 a.m.
http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/07/17/Edm-woman050717.html