The Sioux City native neighborhood and legislation enforcement are trying to find a lacking girl

The local community met with local law enforcement in Sioux City on Friday in a search for Brenda Payer.

Police station of the city of Sioux

Brenda Payer has been missing since last week. Authorities are asking anyone with information about her whereabouts to come forward.

The 36-year-old Indigenous woman was last seen by her friends and family last Thursday. Since then, her relatives have not been able to contact her. The Sioux City Police Department suspects no third-party fault, but there are concerns that Payer may be experiencing a mental health crisis.

Payer’s friend Inyan Walking Elk said she was heartbroken to search for her friend. She said it hit her hard, especially after years of hearing other stories of missing Indigenous women.

“I always thought I never want either of us to be there and never have to do that. I never want to be in that position,” Walking Elk said. “So it sucks. It can not be said otherwise. I want to get us out of this position as soon as possible. I want to find Brenda.”

The National Crime Information Center reported that 5,203 Indigenous women and girls went missing last year – an endemic known as the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Health Crisis (MMIW).

Community police sergeant Jeremy McClure said the department takes the missing person’s case very seriously and is providing community resources to help locate Payer.

“Particularly given the problems our indigenous communities have faced in the past, we want to not only tell them what we are doing, but show them our concern and commitment to them,” he said.

Terry Medina, Community Native Attorney for Siouxland Human Investment Partnerships, commended local law enforcement for their efforts in finding Payer and working with Indigenous communities.

“Everyone has come together out of compassion and love for the people,” Medina said. “It doesn’t matter what skin color we have, what language we speak. As fathers and mothers, we protect our children, we care for our children, we will save our children when they are in need.”

Anyone with information about Payer’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Sioux City Police Department at 279-6960.