Rescue operations on-going since Queensborough woman disappeared

Sharma was last seen wearing a pink pajamas and a pink shirt to bed and may have been wearing a black jacket and an orange Nike sneakers when she went out. (File Photo: Vanessa Sharman/ Facebook)

A 44-year-old woman from New Westminster, Vancouver went missing last Monday, February 24, leaving her family in distress.

Nirla Sharma has not been seen in a week by her family after her daughter heard that Sharma left at 4 in the morning to take their dog for a walk. Her daughter, Vanessa, said that it was not unusual for her mother to leave at 4 a.m. because that is the time her mother goes to work.

“Dad woke me up at seven and said, ‘Mom’s not home, where is she?’ and I was like, ‘I don’t know,’” Vanessa told CTV News.

Sharma’s daughter also stated nothing seemed out of the ordinary when she spent her weekend with her family including her mother together and ate dinner on Sunday night, which was the last time they saw her.

Vanessa also speculated that her mother might have gone to the gym, but they found out that she did not go to the gym or to her work because her manager started calling to find out where Sharma was. At around 3 p.m. on Monday, Vanessa filed for a missing person report.

“I didn’t want to call (police) earlier. I thought she’d come home,” she said. “Maybe she wanted to blow off some steam. I know she’s been stressed out with work.”

The New Westminster Police Department’s major crime unit obtained surveillance footage on Sunday, March 1, that may have been linked to the disappearance of Sharma which is being authenticated by the police.

The footage was stamped on the morning of Sharma’s disappearance and was captured nearby their house near Lawrence Street and Ewen Avenue. The video taken at 3:45 a.m. showed a person in a black coat and was walking a dog.

Sharma was described to be a 1.6 m (5’3) tall South Asian woman with a slim build, medium complexion, short black hair, and brown eyes. She has several tattoos: an OM symbol on her left arm, a crown on her right wrist, a rose on her tailbone, and a design on her left ankle. She was last seen wearing pink pajamas and a pink shirt to bed and may have been wearing a black jacket and an orange Nike sneakers when she went out.

It was also reported that she left her home without her phone, wallet, any identification, debit or credit card, house keys, or truck keys.

“This is a missing person’s investigation. We haven’t ruled out foul play, but there’s no evidence right now to point in that direction,” said Sgt. Jeff Scott from the New West Police. The police have also called in Coquitlam Search and Rescue to join the search effort.

Drivers with dashcam footage are being asked to contact Det. Justine Thom at 604-529-2578.

Anyone with information about Nirla Sharma’s whereabouts can call New West police at 604-525-5411, or 9-1-1.