On Makayla Chang鈥檚 birthday, the community sang her Happy Birthday, had cake, and made a wish for justice.
A celebration was held Friday evening at a Nanaimo for Chang on what would have been her 18th birthday. The teen went missing two weeks after her 16th birthday in 2017 and was found murdered that spring.
Nearly two years later, and a person has yet to be charged in her death.
鈥淣ot knowing anything is frustrating; it鈥檚 really frustrating,鈥� said Kerry Chang, Makayla鈥檚 father. 鈥淲e know absolutely nothing [more] than we did two years ago. We really don鈥檛 know anything whatsoever, not where she was found, how she died.鈥�
Kerry Chang said 鈥渟omebody out there knows something鈥� and that was motivation to open her birthday up to the community and keep her case in the public eye.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a long two years and we鈥檙e still looking for some closure,鈥� he said.
He鈥檚 also concerned that the person responsible could cause further harm.
鈥淚鈥檝e never heard of anyone who harms children who just harms one and that鈥檚 what鈥檚 bothersome to me,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e walking amongst us and it鈥檚 scary.鈥�
About 150 people were at the park Friday and signed a card for Makayla, flipped through a photo album and watched a slide show of happy memories of her with family and friends, taking selfies, dancing, and trying to eat a spoonful of cinnamon.
Lily Morice, who was friends with Makayla, said there are a lot of people in the community who cared about her. Morice said she doesn鈥檛 hear much about how the investigation is going and hopes the authorities are working as hard as they possibly can.
鈥淚 just hope someone figures it out,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 time for her to let her rest easy instead of trying to figure out what happened.鈥�
She said Makayla always wanted to make other people feel good and had a rare ability to light up a room just by walking in. Morice said she loves her friend very much and misses her.
鈥淪he was an amazing person,鈥� Morice said. 鈥淚t should have been her birthday today 鈥� a birthday party, not to mourn.鈥�
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