Red Thread Network provides a template for what to do if a loved one goes missing

Last spring she wove together something entirely different: resources for families and loved ones of missing Indigenous people. She created Red Thread Network, a Facebook page featuring guides to help people act effectively and demand accountability.

“Thread connects us all. Tribe to tribe, person to person,” Rambeau said. “I wanted to build this because as a Native woman, I know our people go through jurisdiction issues, distrust in the system and cultural disconnection.”

Rambeau said she’s always been a supporter of the MMIP movement. In 2014, her best friend Candace LaBelle was murdered in Sisseton, SD. LaBelle had eight children; three are Rambeau’s nieces.

“It left a big impact and scar that I carried with me for a long time,” Rambeau said. “MMIP and MMIW are not just Native issues, it’s a human issue. These people are not just a number in a database. These are daughters, mothers and brothers.”

As the eldest daughter of four and a mother of three, Rambeau felt a calling to protect her community. She started collecting local resources for Native people in South Dakota. She is an enrolled member of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe and also has ties to Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians.

What started as a guide to help family members quickly turned into a compilation of services anyone can use when their loved one is missing, especially for those who may not fit the criteria required for an emergency alert system like the Feather Alert.

On her Facebook page, there is a guide with talking points to help reduce panic when communicating with law enforcement. Downloadable checklists, jail and hospital contact directories and advocacy tools are also available.

Contacting law enforcement immediately after a loved one goes missing is crucial. Rambeau recommends appointing a trusted adult who can communicate calmly and effectively with law enforcement, as tensions can quickly escalate with police if people don’t feel they are being heard.

“You have to demand accountability because we won’t always get it on our own. But it isn’t always people’s fault, sometimes there is a lack of resources,” Rambeau said. “The goal is to get as many people with as many resources involved as possible.”

Victims of violent crime in South Dakota could be eligible for financial support, Rambeau said. Links that could help cover services like funeral costs can be found on Facebook or the Department of Public Safety website. Similar services may be available in other states, and information should be available on government websites or by calling local victim services.

It’s also important to know your rights, Rambeau said. In South Dakota, there is no law that requires a 24-hour wait before reporting a person missing.

“The number of people who are missing and not reported is staggering. It’s growing every day, it’s not just South Dakota, but across the country,” Rambeau said.

That’s why it’s important for people to have a step-by-step plan of what to do when a loved one is missing. A PDF guide that can be filled out, can be found on Rambeau’s Facebook page.

Rambeau also walked Buffalo’s Fire through the steps:

Step 1: Pause, breathe and gather information

– Contact their friends, family or their partner if you haven’t already.

– Determine when they were last seen or heard from.

– Gather their full name, date of birth, recent photos, last-known clothing, tattoos, piercings, important medical information and tribal affiliation.

Step 2: Document everything

– Keep records of conversations and calls, screenshots of social media activity, screenshots of texts and any receipts, location tags or financial activity.

Step 3: Call or check these places

– Local jails (city/county/tribal), hospitals or emergency rooms, behavioral health units and local shelters or housing programs.

– Note names, dates, times and people you spoke with.

– Ask police to follow up if privacy laws prevent officials from sharing information.

Step 4: File a missing person report

– In South Dakota, you do not have to wait 24 hours.

– Insist on filing a report (with local law enforcement or tribal police, if applicable).

– If denied, ask for a supervisor and document the response.

Step 5: Reach out to trusted support people

– Talk to family and community members, tribal programs, cultural leaders and Red Thread Network.

Rambeau is planning to make a guide specific to each tribe in South Dakota, with phone numbers and services available. Her next goal is to do the same for North Dakota.

“What I see next for Red Thread Network is more states, more tools and more spaces for people for healing,” Rambeau said. “This is just the beginning.”