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Misty Upham Found Dead: Family Of ‘Frozen River’ Actress Says Police Uncooperative In Search

Misty Upham, who was nominated for an Indie Spirit Award in 2009 for her role in the feature film Frozen River, was found dead in the woods in Auburn, WA, today after going missing earlier this month. She was 32. Filmmaker friend Tracy Rector, speaking on behalf of the family, confirmed that the Native American actress was found by a search party led by uncle Robert Upham. She was later identified by family members. “The main thing her family wants people to know is that the Auburn Police Department would not cooperate in looking for Misty,” Rector told Deadline. “There’s a long history of police harassment and friction between the police and the Muckleshoot community here, and her family feels they dropped the ball and Misty perhaps would have been found if the police had taken it seriously.”

“Misty was a talented and kind soul who will be greatly missed,” said Upham’s manager Richard Kerner. “My deepest condolences to her family and friends.”

Upham, whose recent credits included the Oscar-nominated August: Osage County and Django Unchained, was reported missing by her family October 6. Her body was found this afternoon near the White River less than an hour outside Seattle, according to that city’s KIRO-TV. A search party of three found Upham’s purse and ID and later discovered her body at the bottom of a 150-foot ravine, the Seattle Times reported. The body was not immediately ID’d but the paper quoted a police spokesman as saying there was a “good chance” it was Upham. The King County Coroner’s office is expected to make a statement tomorrow.

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Earlier this week on October 12, Upham’s father Charles issued a statement via Facebook revealing his daughter’s struggles with mental illness and his frustration at the Auburn Police Department’s lack of mobilization. He also emphasized that he did not believe Upham would take her own life. “We have requested help from the Muckleshoot tribe for search teams but they do not have funding for that. We are petitioning Auburn PD to implement the ENDANGERED MISSING PERSONS PLAN. This will allow law enforcement to search for her and bring her into medical care when they find her. But they feel she does not fit the profile at this time. The detective on the case assured our family that Auburn PD is doing everything they can to find Misty. But then they release a press statement and say they are not looking for her. These mixed messages are confusing.”

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