The B.C. Coroners Service has confirmed the body of a missing New Westminster mother has been found.
The news was first reported by Florence Leung’s family late Wednesday night on a Facebook page created to share information about the investigation into her disappearance.
“It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we have to announce that Florence's body was discovered by the police on Nov. 15,” read the post.
According to the B.C. Coroners Service, a hiker on Bowen Island spotted what he thought was a body in an isolated cove on the island. He called police, who recovered the body from the water, and on Wednesday, the coroner’s office identified the body as 32-year-old Leung.
“It didn’t take very long to identify her,” said Barb McLintock, spokesperson for the B.C. Coroner’s Service. “Everything matched.”
Leung was reported missing on Oct. 25, after leaving her West End home around 9:45 a.m.
Believed to be suffering from postpartum depression, Leung was deemed a high risk missing person by New Westminster police investigators. The search for Leung lasted several days with police concentrating on areas in and around Stanley Park, where her car was found on Oct. 26, the day after she was reported missing. North Shore Search and Rescue were brought in to help police in the search, which was eventually called off a few days later.
“We would like to thank you all for your contribution of love and support during the search for Florence over the last three weeks. We also want to thank you all for your continuous prayers for Florence since she went missing,” read the statement.
The family has asked for privacy during this time.
The B.C. Coroners Service said cause of death is still under investigation.
