Jessie Foster
Born
Jessica Edith Louise Foster

(1984-05-27)May 27, 1984
Canada
DisappearedApril 2006 (aged 21)
Las Vegas, Nevada
StatusMissing for 17 years, 10 months and 22 days
NationalityCanadian
CitizenshipCanadian
Occupationpossible forced prostitute[1]
Years active2005–2006
Parents
  • Dwight Foster (father)
  • Glendene Grant (mother)

Jessica Edith Louise Foster (born May 27, 1984),[2][3] is a Canadian woman who disappeared in the Las Vegas Valley in Nevada, United States, in 2006.[4] Her parents are Glendene Grant and Dwight Foster.[5] Jessie Foster had spent some time living in Calgary, Alberta.[6] In 2005, Foster and a friend of hers visited Florida together, and then stopped by Las Vegas on the way back in May[7] where Foster decided to stay.[8] Before disappearing the following year, Foster became involved in prostitution, was arrested once for solicitation, and was the victim of battery on several occasions.[9]

Investigation

Foster was one of four sex workers who disappeared in Las Vegas between 2003 and 2006. The bodies of the other three have been found. The Las Vegas Police Department launched an investigation of a person in question, bringing in a forensic scientist to spray luminol onto surfaces at crime scenes to detect invisible blood stains; but found nothing at his property, nor has he been interrogated on her disappearance.[10] Benjamin Perrin of Vancouver, British Columbia, received a George Ryga Award for Social Awareness in Literature nomination for having written Invisible Chains, a book that prominently deals with human trafficking, and includes the disappearance of Jessie Foster.[11] The documentary Trafficked No More, features her story and led to some tips to her whereabouts.[12]

On July 26, 2015, the Calgary Sun reported police are investigating if Neal Falls, a man killed on July 18, 2015, in Charleston, West Virginia, may be responsible for the four Las Vegas killings, including Foster.[13]

Aftermath

Her mother, Glendene Grant (born 1957) founded Mothers Against Trafficking in Humans following her daughter's disappearance.[14] She hosted an internet radio show on BlogTalkRadio through Dreamcatchers for Abused Children, and has hosted such guests as Member of Parliament Joy Smith and Bobby Brown of Dog the Bounty Hunter fame.[15] She lives in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada.[16] She had a common-law marriage with Dwight Foster, but they later separated.[5] The last time that Grant saw her daughter was Christmas 2005.[17] Grant Foster believes that their daughter became an unwilling victim of human trafficking,[18] and that she thereby became a sexual slave.[19] Grant therefore created almost a dozen websites advertising the disappearance of her daughter.[20] In an effort to find her daughter, Grant has gotten in touch with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, bounty hunters, prostitutes, police officers, psychics, and private investigators.[21] On the 15th Anniversary of the disappearance of Jessie Foster, Jessie's mother, Glendene Grant sat down with AU4H Radio - Real Talk hosts Donna Kshir, Lee Roberts and Laurie Ann Smith to discuss in depth Jessie's disappearance and why she believes her daughter was sold into sex trafficking. Grant told the Real Talk hosts that the investigation into Jessie's disappearance could have been handled much differently and 'she feels like the lead detective in Jessie's case.' Grant believes if proper measures had been taken by the northern Las Vegas Police Department following Jessie's disappearance there may have had a different outcome and her daughter maybe home by now.

See also

References

  1. ^ Brian Nordli (February 21, 2014). "THE CASE OF JESSIE FOSTER: After eight years, hope remains alive — even if a missing daughter isn't". Las Vegas Sun.
  2. ^ Abigail Goldman (October 26, 2006). "Families fret about girls lost in Sin City". The Union Democrat. p. 11A.
  3. ^ "Jessica Edith Louise Foster". America's Most Wanted. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
  4. ^ Curley, Julia (2019-03-22). "Jessie Foster still missing 13 years after vanishing near Las Vegas". NBC News. Retrieved 2019-11-01.
  5. ^ a b Cary Castagna (December 24, 2007). "Reward for missing woman raised: Missing woman's father puts house up as equity". Edmonton Sun. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved October 16, 2012.((cite journal)): CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. ^ Richard Liebrecht (October 23, 2010). "Alberta urged to lead fight against erotic ads". Calgary Sun. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
  7. ^ Donna Brandigal (February 6, 2007). "Family takes search for daughter to Sin City". DigitalJournal.com. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
  8. ^ Matt O'Brien (February 1, 2007). "Searching for the Missing Jessie Foster". Las Vegas CityLife. Archived from the original on January 28, 2013. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
  9. ^ "America's Most Wanted could profile missing woman's case". The Province. November 5, 2008. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
  10. ^ Quentin Parker; Paula Munier; Susan Reynold (2011). The Sordid Secrets of Las Vegas: Over 500 Seedy, Sleazy, and Scandalous Mysteries of Sin City. F+W Media. p. 129. ISBN 978-1440510168.
  11. ^ "Local authors up for Ryga award". Kamloops This Week. August 4, 2011. Archived from the original on October 3, 2013. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
  12. ^ "After eight years, hope remains alive — even if a missing daughter isn't". lasvegassun.com. 21 February 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  13. ^ Passifiume, Bryan (26 July 2015). "Death of man in West Virginia could break case of missing Calgary woman". Calgary, Alta.: Postmedia Network. Calgary Sun. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  14. ^ "'She Has A Name' Production". New Life Church. September 10, 2012. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
  15. ^ Mike Youds (December 30, 2011). "Bondsman Bobby Brown to guest on blog show about human trafficking". Kamloops Daily News. Retrieved October 16, 2012.
  16. ^ "Mother's hunt for missing daughter blocked at border". The Province. June 3, 2007. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2012.
  17. ^ "Residents come through for mom". Kamloops Daily News. December 24, 2009. Retrieved October 16, 2012.
  18. ^ "Captive victims' cries go unheard". The Vancouver Sun. October 31, 2008. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2012.
  19. ^ "$40,000 boost in reward raises hopes of missing woman's mom". The Province. December 27, 2007. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2012.
  20. ^ Sherri Zickefoose (October 24, 2009). "'The most well-known, unknown missing person'". Ottawa Citizen. Archived from the original on January 18, 2013. Retrieved October 16, 2012.
  21. ^ Sarah Kennedy (March 28, 2007). "Woman missing a year after Las Vegas trip". Calgary Sun. Archived from the original on January 20, 2013. Retrieved October 16, 2012.((cite journal)): CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
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