This past Wednesday marked exactly two months since Shannon Darlikie Wasserfall went missing without trace. Ironically, it was also her 22nd birthday.
“It was an emotional day. It was hard to celebrate her life without getting a response from her. I would call her and the hype would have started from the 9th of June already like a countdown. It was definitely emotional,” says Wasserfall’s older sister Loretha Campbell.
“We lit candles and had a moment of silence so that the spirit can guide her home.” Campbell pleaded anyone with information regarding her sister’s whereabouts to come forward.
Shannon disappeared on 10 April after having dropped her two-year-old baby at a friend’s house in Kuisebmond the previous day. She had travelled from Windhoek to Walvis Bay in December 2019 to visit her mother.
Namibian police spokesperson Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi told New Era the investigation is still ongoing and now has intensified because the community of Walvis Bay is also involved.
“So far everyone who is believed to have seen her or was seen with her on that particular day was engaged and statements were taken. We are still investigating, because so far there are no leads on her whereabouts,” said Shikwambi.
In addition, Erongo police crime investigations coordinator Deputy Commissioner Erastus Iikuyu said they have a dedicated team working on the case of Shannon.
Iikuyu said the search is continuing and new areas have been identified for the search mission. Iikuyu further told New Era they obtained more than 10 statements from people close to her, including friends and relatives.
He said they also posted her photo on Interpol’s website and alerted immigration authorities. Iikuyu said this is not only work for the police but everyone should join hands to find Shannon.
He said he has noted comments made towards the police that they are supposedly not doing enough. However, he said, they were doing their best to find her.
He also dismissed concerns that the lockdown of Walvis Bay and the entire region would affect the search mission. A mass search organised by Walvis Bay resident Abraham Hangula was temporarily put on hold because the town was placed back to stage one lockdown. Hangula said he never met Shannon but is doing this as part of his community service.
– sikela@nepc.com.na