BRIDGEWATER, N.S. - Mourners along Nova Scotia's south shore are preparing for 12-year-old Karissa Boudreau's funeral, scheduled for Tuesday, as police continue their investigation into the young girl's killing.
The funeral is planned in Barrington, and Karissa will be buried in nearby Clark's Harbour, according to a local funeral home.
The Grade 6 student's frozen body was discovered Feb. 9 in the woods on the outskirts of Bridgewater, where she had recently moved to live with her mother, and police have since said her death was a homicide.
She had disappeared nearly two weeks before her body was found.
Sgt. John Collyer of the Bridgewater police said he would be attending the funeral, along with the department's chief, at the invitation of Karissa's father, Paul Boudreau.
"I know a number of members have been invited,'' he said Sunday.
Collyer said he believed Karissa's remains were released from the provincial medical examiner's office into the care of her father, who lives in the Shelburne area.
Karissa was reported missing on Jan. 27.
Her mother, Penny Boudreau, told police she had argued with her daughter in a grocery store parking lot and then went into the store, but when she returned, Karissa was gone.
The girl was found Feb. 9 by a passerby who saw human remains partially concealed beneath snow on a steep riverbank.
Late last week, two people known to Karissa were questioned by police and later released. Investigators haven't identified the suspects.
Collyer could not pinpoint when police expect to make their next move.
"There could be ... something in a day or two, or it could take several months,'' he said.
"It would not do the community any good for us to rush and go into court, lay charges, when we don't have all our t's crossed and i's dotted.''
An autopsy revealed how the girl died, but police have said that information will not be released because it could undermine their investigation.
Collyer said police have received a number of tips since the grim discovery, but would not elaborate.
"Certainly, it seemed like a lot of people did all of a sudden come forward,'' he said. "People that had been hanging back for whatever reason decided they were going to call.''
