The family of Alicia Dawn Boone is breaking their painful silence after her body was found north of Fredricton Tuesday.
They say the 26-year-old woman, who was seven months pregnant, was a bright light in their life and excited about becoming a mother.
“It was all about the kids for her,” says her sister, Kristi Boone.
“She would play with them, she would drop anything to colour with them, draw with them.”
Kristi Boone remained stoic as she recalled fond memories of her little sister.
Speaking on behalf of her grieving family, she says her sister’s death has devastated many people.
She also says her family wants to know what happened to her sister, and is pleading with anyone who might have information to contact police.
“Spreading unfounded rumours only causes further grief for us and her close friends,” she says.
“I ask that anyone who knows anything about what happened to Alicia to please contact the RCMP and share it. The circumstances surrounding Alicia’s death remain a mystery for now, and any small piece of information may be the piece needed to shed light on what’s happened.”
Police have also been asking the public for help in solving the case since Boone’s body was found on the side of Killarney Road Tuesday afternoon.
An autopsy was conducted in Saint John but police are still awaiting the full results. They say there is no timetable on when the results will be made available.
Until then, they are calling Boone’s death suspicious.
“Sometimes people assume we have all the pieces, but you should never assume,” says RCMP Cpl. Chantal Farrah.
“It’s important that if you have a small bit of information, please bring that information forward and let our investigators determine if that is relevant to this investigation.”
Boone was born and raised in Nackawic and had spent several years living in Fredericton, where she struggled with some challenges, including run-ins with the law.
However, she recently returned home and was working to turn her life around.
“She was looking forward to being a mother,” says Kristi Boone. “She was trying to do what had to be done to be a good mother.”
The Boone family acknowledges nothing will bring her back, but they hope answers about her death can ease some of their grief.
Boone will be laid to rest in her hometown of Nackawic on Saturday.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Andy Campbell