© Provided by Leader Post Paula Bali, mother of missing person Mekayla Bali, at the Walk of Hope event at the Saskatchewan Legislative Building in 2019, aimed at raising awareness about missing children in Saskatchewan.
Paula Bali is hoping that increasing the reward offered for her whereabouts may prompt some fresh information in her missing daughter’s case, which is still open after six years.
Mekayla Bali disappeared from her home community of Yorkton on April 12, 2016. Mekayla was 16 years old at the time.
Mekayla would be 22 years old now. Paula said she can’t fully fathom having lost so much time with her daughter.
“The difference between 16 and 22 can be a fair bit,” said Paula. “I see her friends move on and grow up, [and] Mekayla’s been robbed of that and so have I.”
She was reportedly last seen at the Yorkton bus stop at approximately 1:45 p.m., although police don’t believe she purchased a bus ticket. Released security footage shows her visiting several businesses in Yorkton that day, including a pawn shop and a restaurant.
Paula has previously said that she doesn’t believe Mekayla left willingly, as she had access to money that day and didn’t utilize it. She still firmly holds that belief.
© National Center for Missing and An age-enhanced photo of Mekayla Bali, created by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Bali was last seen in Yorkton in April 2016 at 16 years old, and would now be 22.
No notable developments in Mekayla’s case have occurred since a tip submitted in August 2019 reported a potential sighting of a girl matching Mekayla’s description in Edmonton, said Paula. Some recent information has suggested Mekayla may be in the United States, she said, although no leads have verified the possibility.
But efforts to locate Mekayla persist, with Paula at the helm.
On the sixth anniversary of her disappearance, Paula announced that the reward for finding Mekayla has increased to $100,000. She said the money would be given to anyone who provides credible information that leads to her missing daughter.
“I think it takes the reward to a new level of seriousness, that we’re still desperate for answers,” said Paula. “Sometimes, unfortunately, money does talk and I’m hoping this entices someone to come forward.”
An anonymous group, identified only as local business owners from Yorkton area, approached Paula with a request to provide the funds. It was also an anonymous individual who offered to double the previous reward of $25,000 to $50,000, which was later retracted due to undisclosed reasons.
The hope is the new sum will again get Mekayla’s case circulating, prompting new tips or information.
“I’ve really struggled with, you know, is it for information that she’s alive or not, and I’ve come to realize it doesn’t matter,” said Paula. “We just need to find her, whatever her situation is.”
Paula said the lack of answers on what happened still weighs heavily, on the entire community of Yorkton.
“This (reward pledge) is a big affirmation that people in the community are still concerned, that they want her to be found,” said Paula. “It’s a bit of a dark cloud over the city, and everybody needs closure.”
© submitted by Paula Bali Paula Bali, mother of missing teen Mekayla Bali, poses with an image of her daughter, who disappeared from Yorkton, Sask. on April 12, 2016.
Recent search efforts have mostly turned to a social media campaign, due to the pandemic restricting travel. Paula said the priority has been to keep Mekayla’s story on the top of news feeds.
A Facebook page, Instagram profile, even a Tik Tok account — Paula is using every available source to put details out there.
“I don’t want people to forget,” said Paula. “We don’t know what might spark someone’s memory or give them courage to come forward.”
She continues to personally follow up on every tip submitted, first delivering them to police and then seeking answers herself. Hundreds of tips have come in since 2016, she estimated, but none have panned out.
In an emailed statement, Saskatchewan RCMP said investigation is ongoing and “investigators continue to actively receive tips, which are followed up on.”
While Paula Bali said the RCMP has been, at times, tight-lipped about her daughter’s investigation, Paula has also been working with U.S. law enforcement counterparts to follow up on tips pointing across the border.
“I usually get really quick results, and they certainly disclose more information than you get in Canada,” said Paula.
“A lot of information can’t be fully disclosed, and I understand that. Do I feel like I am in the dark about my daughter’s case? I would definitely say so.”
Paula cannot explain the feelings of open-ended grief she and her family feel, with no answers about what has happened to Mekayla.
“I will never look at the world the same way that I did,” said Paula. “Its really tough to wrap your brain around how someone can go missing and yet maintain hope and faith that there will be a good resolution.”
But, she remains hopeful that her daughter will be found. She said she knows someone out there knows something and just needs one more push to come forward.
“Something about Mekayla that was so extraordinary was her kindness and love and gentleness,” said Paula. “In my heart of hearts, I just feel like she’s out there somewhere and I need to bring her home.”
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