Mother travels from China to look for missing daughter
Chang Guiying arrived in Winnipeg on Nov. 11 after her missing daughter, Maggie Liu disappeared on Oct. 30
By Jillian Taylor, CBC News Posted: Nov 18, 2016 4:00 AM CT Last Updated: Nov 18, 2016 5:06 PM CT
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Mother travels from China to find missing daughter
Jillian Taylor
CBC Reporter
A desperate mother travelled from China to Winnipeg to search for her only daughter, Maggie Liu, who has been missing since Oct. 30.
Chang Guiying is from Jiamusi, China, which is more than 1,500 kilometres northeast of Beijing.
"I just don't believe she is just gone, without saying goodbye," said Chang through a translator. "The last time she talked to me, she invited me to come to Winnipeg to celebrate our Chinese New Year."
The last time she saw her daughter was at Liu's wedding in 2013.
Chang said she found out her daughter was missing on Nov. 1 from the priest at the church where Liu worked.
"I really didn't know [how] to react actually," she said through tears.
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Maggie Liu was last seen in River Heights on Oct. 30. (Podge Dimagiba)
Liu has been living in Winnipeg for two years with her husband Podge Dimagiba. He said she disappeared in the night after they went to sleep and left behind her wallet and credit cards.
"She told me almost nothing about herself during the two years," said Chen Lei, who is Liu's closest friend from China.
Chen accompanied Chang on the trip to Winnipeg. She said growing up she and Liu were like sisters because they were both only children.
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Maggie Liu disappeared on Oct. 30
"After I arrived ... her husband told us that she was not very happy sometimes," said Chen.
She said Liu didn't have friends in Winnipeg and over the past year they didn't talk as much, as Liu was always saying she was busy.
Chen said she now knows her friend was going through depression.
"I had no idea from her," said Chang. "I feel so bad from the bottom of my heart because I didn't take perfect care of her."
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This missing poster is being distributed by searchers in Winnipeg. (Facebook)
The two women have met with detectives from the missing persons unit about Liu's disappearance. Chang said she found some comfort in speaking with the officers.
"I just want to find my daughter now," she said. "I request all the help from Winnipeggers, Canadians and other people because I have no one to rely on."
Chang said she believes her daughter is still alive: "Maybe she is hiding somewhere, she met some troubles, but she's still [out] there."
The women have not decided yet on when they will return to China.
Liu is five feet tall, 120 pounds and has shoulder-length black hair and brown eyes. She may be wearing a grey jacket, dark-coloured pants and dark shoes, police said.
Anyone with information about Liu's whereabouts is asked to call the Winnipeg Police Service's missing persons unit at 204-986-6250.
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Chang Guiying (R) travelled from China to look for her daughter Maggie Liu. She is accompanied by Chen Lei, who is friends with Liu. (Trevor Brine/ CBC News)