I was just reading and watching a story on Mekayla Bali, who hasn't been seen or heard from in almost a decade.
Here’s the short version: Mekayla disappeared from Yorkton, Saskatchewan, on April 12, 2016, at age 16. She went to high school that morning but left around 8:30 a.m. She returned twice briefly but didn’t stay or attend classes. After leaving for the final time, she withdrew $55 from a bank, stopped at a pawn shop, and by 9:00 a.m., was at the STC bus depot asking about a ticket to Regina, though she didn’t buy one. She revisited the depot several times that day.
Between 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., Mekayla was at a Wendy’s/Tim Hortons, reportedly waiting for someone and on her phone frequently. She even asked a patron for help getting a hotel room, but they declined. Her last confirmed sighting was at the bus depot between 1:00 and 1:45 p.m., but she didn’t board a bus. She’s been missing ever since.
Mekayla sent cryptic messages that day, including one asking for help and then another reading, "Never mind. Figured it out." She was active on Snapchat, and a friend later received a notification indicating a message had been read after she disappeared. It’s unclear if it was her or someone else. She also chatted with people on gaming platforms, which has led to speculation about her online interactions. Her family is still searching for answers.
I always find surveillance footage of people who disappear or are about to be a victim of crime to be quite bone chilling. You're literally witnessing the last moments anyone saw this person alive before they disappeared, or tragedy struck. As for Mekayla's case: I'd bet that she got groomed online and is now either dead or the victim of human trafficking. Her mom has refused to let Mekayla's siblings celebrate any kind of holiday or birthday since she disappeared, and I have a feeling she was a strict parent, Mek was also on Accutane, which can make you depressed, and in a moment of social desperation, she reached out to outside sources, and she found the wrong one.