Image: Provided by Surrey RCMP / Searchers braved rain in a weekend search to find 18-year-old Joseph Maku, reported missing on October 23, 2024.
Missing Teen

Family of missing teen ‘grateful’ for groups that joined weekend search in Surrey

Nov 11, 2024 | 11:13 AM

UPDATE: In a Facebook post on Nov. 29, 2024, the family of  Joseph Maku said he was found dead in Delta, B.C.

More details can be found in this story posted November 30, 2024:

Surrey teen missing since October found dead in Delta, says family

SURREY – The older sister of a Surrey teen who has been missing for almost three weeks says she’s ‘grateful’ to the nearly 100 people who braved the rain to search on Saturday.

In a Facebook post, Brenda Maku expressed her appreciation for the groups of volunteers who gathered in Holland Park, later dispersing to search for clues and put up posters of 18-year-old Joseph Maku.

“So grateful for all of the people that took the time to come out today and support my family…” Maku said on Facebook.

“Although it was raining, there was such a great turn out, and I’m so, so, so grateful.”

Joseph was last seen in the 13000 block of 96th Avenue on Tuesday, October 23, and has not been seen or heard from since.

The Surrey RCMP Missing Persons Unit says the six-foot-five teen’s last known whereabouts are tied to bus trips he took between 3:50 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., mainly between 120 Street and King George Boulevard.

“On Tuesday afternoon, my brother Joseph said ‘I’ll be back’ to two of my siblings and has not been back ever since,” Brenda said in Oct. 28 statement.

The first-year kinesiology student at UBC was wearing a black hoodie, black North Delta Huskies basketball shorts, and black-and-white basketball shoes at the time he went missing.

Saturday’s effort centered around areas Joseph typically frequented.

Details on another weekend search are expected this week, according to Maku’s family.

Anyone with information on Joseph’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502.