Mother of missing Emma Fillipoff going home, not losing hope

Описание: http://www.ctvvancouverisland.ca
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VICTORIA - Shelley Fillipoff is saying goodbye in the lobby of her hotel Monday, before a flight home she desperately hoped she wouldn't be making alone. "I feel like I'm leaving her behind..."

In the days before she disappeared in November, Shelley's daughter Emma made several calls to her mom. She was distraught, and would ask her to come out to Victoria to help her move back to Ontario. But then Emma would call back and change her mind.

Shelley didn't like she was hearing and booked a flight to Victoria without her daughter knowing. But she was too late. When she got to this woman's shelter where she discovered Emma had for some reason been staying, her daughter was gone. Shelley had missed her by only a few hours.

In the early moments of her search, Shelley figured her daughter Emma would turn up at any moment. "I thought it would just be a matter of time. I'd go around a corner and I'd see her."

Now she says she knows it won't be that simple. Emma's belongings were discovered in her van. She hasn't accessed her bank account. Her mother believes Emma is suffering from a serious mental health issue and may have gone into hiding. Police also believe she's still alive.

But the efforts of VicPD investigators and teams of volunteers have turned up nothing. Emma was scheduled to return to work at Red Fish Blue Fish restaurant last Friday. Her mom hoped she'd just show up ready to re-join society. She did not. "I haven't lost hope. That would be absolutely not the case. It's just going to take longer than I thought I guess."

Shelley says she will continue her search from Ottawa, where she needs to re-group and support her three other children. "I need to go home and I need to hug them, we need to spend some time together" she says through tears.

If there is a break in the investigation, Shelley will be ready to board the first flight back to BC and her daughter.

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