FLANDREAU, S.D. (KELO) — People in Flandreau are mourning a mother of four who disappeared early Saturday morning. For days, friends and family members joined authorities in the search for Jamie White; however, that search recently came to an end.
According to the Moody County Sheriff’s Office, the missing person’s body was found in the Big Sioux River in Flandreau on Wednesday after several days of searching.
Family identified that person as Jamie White as community members came together shortly after for music, candlelight and prayer after learning her body had been found.
“Very sad. Not the outcome we wanted. I was hoping to find her well. With things like this, you always are hoping for the best, but you always got to prepare for the worst,” Jamie’s brother, Laban White, said.
“We prayed. We’ve been praying every night since she’s been missing. We definitely were there for each other in the end and that’s what we need to do is we just need to stay together, we need to stick together. That’s what Jamie would want,” Jamie’s friend, Myranda Wester said.
Wester says Jamie was not only a good mother, but also a good friend.
“She was bubbly, she had the greatest personality. She was friends with everyone she met,” Wester said.
Jamie’s brother, Laban White, says he’s been in the Flandreau area looking for her since she went missing. He says the kindness his family has received hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“The community has been very supportive and I really appreciate that, the entire family appreciates that. Everything from the prayers, from all the donations and everything that they’ve done,” White said.
Now he’s hoping to get answers about what happened early Saturday morning.
“I just hope every aspect is investigated and every stone is turned over,” White said. “This is very out of character. I spoke to her several times, and she seemed like she was happy. Doesn’t seem like someone that was happy would do such a thing.”
Authorities haven’t released any details of what led up to her going missing, but they do note that the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation is now assisting with this case.
A meal train to help those taking care of her children has been organized.
