Above: Charlene, circa 1990
Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
Missing Since: July 22, 1990
Missing From: Łutselk’e, Northwest Territories, Canada
Classification: Non-Family Abduction
Date Of Birth: June 23, 1975
Age: 15 years old
Height and Weight: 5’5″ and 125 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Indigenous Female, Black hair, Brown eyes, Charlene’s ears are pierced, she had acne, and her hair was cut short at the time of her 1990 disappearance
Clothing/Jewelry Description: A blue nylon jacket with white sleeves, a neon pink t-shirt, acid washed jeans, Charlene was said to be carrying a red and black checkered work shirt with her
Details of Disappearance
Charlene was last seen in Łutselk’e, Northwest Territories, Canada on July 22nd 1990. She had flown to the Yellowknife area the previous day to attend the Dene National Assembly and was attempting to return home when a booking mix up prevented her from getting a return seat on the plane. At 11:00 pm, Charlene went out to venture Yellowknife and met up with some teenagers from Behchokǫ̀.
She drove with them to the Behchokǫ̀ area and spent the night with them. The next day, one of the boys attempted to find her a ride back to Yellowknife but was unsuccessful in doing so. As a result, Charlene began walking along Highway 3 near the Rae Access Road to Behchokǫ̀. She was last seen hitchhiking at 6:00 pm that evening. She told the guy she was going to call her aunt but she never did.
Some drivers in the area reported seeing Charlene hitchhiking. She hasn’t been seen or heard from since 1990. Little information is known about what exactly happened to her but her family suspects that someone in the Yellowknife or Behchokǫ̀ areas have knowledge of what happened to her.
They’ve also stated the police did not do enough to investigate Charlene’s disappearance when it first occurred. Her father stated that his daughter was in a relationship she shouldn’t have been in. It’s unclear if this has anything to do with her disappearance.
In September of 2020, the RCMP Historical Case Unit performed a search of an area near Behchokǫ̀ in connection with Charlene’s case. The search came after the RCMP asked for the public’s help in solving the case. However, it’s unclear if anything was found as a result of the search.
At the time of her disappearance, Charlene lived in the Dene First Nation community in Łutselk’e. She was described as a mature, well adjusted, friendly, and outgoing teenager who enjoyed outdoor activities. She was said to be responsible by those who knew her. Charlene also enjoyed drum dancing. Her father, Joseph “Joe” Victor Catholique, was a residential school survivor who never gave up hope of finding his missing daughter.
Sadly, he passed away without ever finding out what became of his daughter. On June 9th 2017, Charlene was declared legally dead by the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories. Despite the ruling, Catholique’s case remains unsolved.
Charlene’s aunt, Lorraine Catholique, is still searching for her missing niece and hopes to someday uncover the mystery of what happened to her all those years ago. Foul play is strongly suspected in Charlene’s disappearance.
Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Royal Canadian Mounted Police – Northwest Territories 867-669-1111
Source Information
The Daily Herald-Tribune 08/16/1990
International Missing Persons Wiki