A tragic event unfolded in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, where the body of 21-year-old Alexandra Martine Diengo Lumbayi was discovered in the St. Maurice River on the morning of October 8, 2024. Alexandra, a Congolese student studying at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, had been reported missing after she was last seen on October 2.
Her body was found near the marina on Saint-Quentin Island by a kayaker around 10:20 a.m. The area is situated between the property owned by Kruger Wayagamack Inc. and the marina. The coroner confirmed her identity later that day.
Alexandra’s mother, Rosemine Ndjondo, who lives in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, reported her daughter missing when she didn’t hear from her for several days. In a heartfelt video posted on TikTok over the weekend, she pleaded for help in locating her daughter.
“I haven’t been drinking, I’m not eating, I’m not sleeping. I don’t even know how to close my eyes anymore or how to live,” said Ndjondo through tears in the video.
Since Friday, provincial police have been leading search efforts and are now investigating the circumstances surrounding Alexandra’s death. Community members, including students from the Congolese, Cameroonian, and Senegalese communities, joined the search on Sunday, showing their support and solidarity.
The discovery of Alexandra’s body has left her mother devastated. She has spoken out since the recovery, expressing her heartbreak and loss. This tragic situation highlights the importance of community and support during difficult times.
“Alexandra was the only daughter I had when I was 17, her father had denied the pregnancy and I suffered with my daughter,” she said..
“Imagine that I was chased away by my parents and I was renounced by her father. I raised my daughter by being her mother and her father at the same time.
“I sent her to the best schools in Cameroon. South Africa and Canada while I was struggling but at the age of 21, she left me. My daughter was my best friend, my treasure. What will my life be without her?”.
