EARLY LIFE:
Jessica Patrick-Balczer was born on January 8, 2000. From Lake Babine First Nations, she grew up in and out of foster care in Fort Babine, approximately 100 km north of Smithers, British Columbia. This was due to her parents’ struggles with substance abuse and intergenerational trauma. When she was 14 years old, Jessica was placed back in the care of her father, Mike Balczer, who’d quit drinking after losing his children.
Growing up, Jessica was known for being bubbly and goofy. She never let what she was dealing with in her personal life impact those around her, instead opting to uplift her friends and classmates. She had two passions during this time: makeup and social media, with her using the latter to regularly connect with her extended family.
As she got older, Jessica bounced around between the homes of friends and family. When she was 17, she gave birth to her daughter, Alayah, who quickly became her entire world. The two were inseparable. The young mother wanted to do what was best for her daughter and give her the stable life she didn’t have growing up, leading her to agree to move back in with her father.
Sadly, the then-18-year-old never got the chance to relocate, as she went missing just a few days later.
DISAPPEARANCE & DEATH:
On August 31, 2018, Jessica arrived at her grandmother’s house to drop off Alayah. She’d planned to go out, but reassured the pair she’d be back soon. It’s reported she attended a party with friends at the Mountain View Hotel on Highway 16, near Smithers. Things got a bit rowdy at the gathering, with police called to deal with a fight at the location.
In the days following the party, Jessica’s friends and family were unable to get in contact with her. Her grandmother was particularly worried, given how much she adored her young daughter. On September 3, with their concern becoming too much to ignore, the 18-year-old’s loved ones reported her missing to the Smithers detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
Unfortunately, as is common with cases of MMIWG, investigators initially didn’t take the report seriously, telling Jessica’s family she was probably out partying and would return soon. This lack of action from the authorities didn’t stop her loved ones from organizing their own searches or putting up posters in communities along Highway 16, which is notoriously known as the Highway of Tears, given the amount of women who’ve gone missing and/or been found dead along the stretch of road over the decades.
Three days after Jessica was reported missing, the RCMP put out a news release about her case. They told the media that multiple searches were being conducted and warrants secured to try and identify anyone who was involved in the 18-year-old’s disappearance.
The search for Jessica came to a tragic end on September 15, 2018, when her aunt decided to search a ski hill just north of Smithers, on Hudson Bay Mountain. Noticing birds circling the area, she peered over the embankment and saw a human body some 15 meters below, near a discarded washing machine. It was her niece.
When found, Jessica was still wearing the ballerina flats and white tank top she’d left her grandmother’s house in. The position of the shirt – pushed up just below her breasts – indicated that the 18-year-old had been placed where she was found.
INVESTIGATION:
It took the RCMP several days to confirm the body found was that of Jessica Patrick-Balczer. They have never revealed a cause of death, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
Jessica’s family has been critical of how investigators have handled the case, saying detectives have given them the runaround.
CASE CONTACT INFORMATION:
Anyone with information regarding the case is asked to contact the Smithers detachment of the RCMP at (250) 847-3233. Tips can also be submitted anonymously via Crime Stoppers at +1 (800) 222-8477.
Image Credit: Schrader Funeral Home & Cremation Services/Hue and Cry
Stories of the Unsolved 