Time Line
Google Map of Hogsback campsite
From oldest to newest (updated May 31 2023)
Friday May 27th 2011
Madison and a female friend went out to Hogsback lake for a party with the intention of camping overnight. It appears there were around 46 people at the party Friday night, mostly 18 to 25 years old, and a few older partiers up to 40 years old. Almost all are from the Vanderhoof area. Madison’s friend who was going to stay with her left the party after midnight (2:30?) with a young man who lives close by in the Hogsback lake area. Either Madison was left to camp by herself or left with someone else, though information to date says she was left there by herself. The time Madison was last seen has been reported as 2:45 to 3am.
Hogsback lake is located about 24.5 kms South East from Vanderhoof down the Blackwater road. See Google Map. It is a forestry campsite with 3 camping areas, a swiming area and dock. The lake is around 1 km long, and is surrounded by forest, with several trails leaving the campsite including a portion of the telegraph trail.
Saturday May 28th 2011
A couple of the partiers were back at Hogsback campsite the next day cleaning up (10am?) and saw her tent still standing and her truck but they did not check if she was in the tent. There was no other tents or campers there.
There was a large party of around 150 people at the Hogsback campsite on Saturday night, and no one reports seeing Madison.
Madison’s parents were concerned as they had not heard from their daughter, but she is a responsible 20 year old so they did not report her missing.
Sunday May 29th 2011
With no word from Madison and her not answering her cell phone Madison’s parents went to the Hogsback lake campsite to look for her. They found her truck and her now flattened tent. Her purse was in the truck, but no sign of her and her cell phone. The police were called and the official search and rescue effort began. The RCMP and search and rescue teams from Vanderhoof, Prince George, Burns Lake and Fort St. James directed additional volunteer searchers. Grid searches of the area starting from the campsite began, with helicopter searches, and the lake was searched by boat and side searching sonar.
Monday May 3oth 2011
The official search and rescue team with additional volunteers continued grid searching the area around Hogsback lake. More helicopter searching was done. They thoroughly covered the whole area around the campsite and lake and did not see any sign of anyone leaving the area on foot or ATV on any of the trails or through the woods
People in the community make posters and start putting them up.
The RCMP investigation continues, a team of 14 members is assembled and a press release is issued.
Tuesday May 31st 2011
- Friends, family and other volunteers continue grid searches in the area
- Roads are searched by vehicles
- Tails are searched by foot and ATV’s.
- house to house canvasing begins
- people across the province are contacted to spread the word and put up posters
- A facebook group is started, and a temporary website.
Month of June 2011
- The volunteer search covered so much ground. All the roads from Fraser Lake to Isle Piere were driven and any tracks leaving the road were investigated. Grid searches of all the trails around the hogs back area, nearby gravel pits. Surrounding trails and roads were driven with ATV’s and a lot were walked. private land and buildings were searched. The Canadian Rangers were out searching for a weekend.
- Extensive searching in the Hogsback area by helicopter.
- Posters put up over most of BC
- RCMP interviewing and polygraphing party goers. Following up on tips, cell phone records.
Since that first year Madison went missing:
- RCMP continued their investigation with more interviews and polygraphs of party goers, following up on tips, and other leads. The case was reviewed by other RMCP divisions.
- Lots more private searches in 2012 and 2013
- Missing signs put up in the interior of British Columbia, small and large.
- Missing posters sent far and wide.
- Annual Poker ride 2012 to 2018 at Hogbacks lake to keep awareness and local community involvement. Proceeds went to the local community association, and funding for find maddy awareness campaign.
- The case of Missing Madison Scott covered by podcast, and missing people sites etc.
2023 May
- Last week in May RCMP receive report of bones found on farm property East of Vanderhoof, and begin investigation.
- May 28th RCMP release statement: We need your help to find Madison Scott
- May 29th RCMP release statement: Update in the ongoing Madison Scott investigation. They have positively identified bones found on the farm as those of Madison Scott. The RCMP are continuing there investigation on the farm.
- May 31st RCMP release statement: Scott family statement.
After reading the comments and being from BC myself, camping in the woods is nothing new but whoever took her…knew there was a party going on, and it was a small party with 40ish people. In those areas it’s almost always locals, and she went missing in may…school was still in, tourists don’t start coming until July. And her phone being missing but her belongings remaining at the scene doesn’t mean she intended on coming back. If her phone was in her coat or jeans pocket…and she was grabbed. It would take one good hit from a decent size man to knock a woman her size unconscious, if he was a big guy he could’ve easily carried her to a waiting vehicle…I think whoever it was…watched her, knew her friend had left, and took what he wanted. Or….could she have been sexually assaulted and the offender panicked, and killed her to prevent being i.d.’d as a rapist.
And btw people I don’t think her friend knows anything, can you imagine what people have put on her? “If you hadn’t left, Maddy would still be here”, “you left her to die”.
I just watched the YouTube video on the vanishing of Madison and I’m so so deeply sorry. I hope she gets to come home alive one day, there are people who survive kidnappings. Like Jaycee dugard she was held captive for 18 years.. You never know.. She maybe and hopefully is still alive somewhere out there… U have to keep looking for her keep searching, have faith in the good lord, and keep praying on it.. She was such a pretty girl and from the video sounded so sweet and outgoing.. I wish there were something I could do but i live in southern illinois. If there is anything I can do please contact me
Yes..you can pray!!! Share her information…ask your friends to share the information..and have faith in the Lord she will be found…amen
Have you chcked the lake for a body? Perhaps she was murdered and ger body left there?
I was reading a previous comment and someone said you’ll find what you are looking for beside rocks, etc… I just did a google map search of the roads connecting near Hogsback lake and there is a place called “graveyard lake” in Alberta. The roads seem to connect and images show up with a very rocky terrain, with creeks and grass. I hope her family gets closure as this is horrible! I have a son and couldn’t imagine not knowing what happened to him, or not being able to protect him.
Michael Daoust
Thanks we will forward it on
Is there a chance she may be in the lake? Could they bring in divers to search the lake? I have heard of police doing this before to find missing people. I hope that is not the case.
We will be praying for the family and her safe return.
Jerrica from Stockton, Ca.
Dec. 24,2017 3:05am
I just spent the last two hours watching and listening to your story on crime watch daily on youtube. i am so sorry.i can’t imagine what you might be going through…
As i was watching and listening i couldn’t help but to wonder has any search and rescue dog(s) been used to help find Maddy? Or even a psychic of some sort?
The Scott family is in my prayers.
Has the investigative team requested her phone records to see the last known location and her last text and call corespondents? Has the investigative team used the “find my iPhone” feature to see her phones last location?
Futhermore, WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON(s) to see Maddy!!!!!!! They need to be interviewed extensively and just my own personal theory but I believe that her friend who left her and went home didn’t leave the camp site without her. My theory is that she went with her friend and her boyfriend. Something happened and she was murdered, the next day her friend tries to cover her tracks and act innocent and concerned. She had her friends jewelry in her possession and she new it was the only thing linking her to the crime so the 2nd day she was missing she returned to the crime scene to dump the jewelry that SHE miraculously found.
My theory is that she had something either directly or indirectly to do with her disappearance.
My biggest thing is, if someone knows where her body is. PLEASE, even if it’s anonymously, leave some indication as to where her body is so her family can have their baby back and put her to rest. They will NEVER give up and it breaks my heart that they have no peace of mind. They only have hope.
Imagine the torture of being thankful for their being a chance. Imagine the double edged irony of having hope. Please. If anyone can give this family peace, please do.
If anyone has any information on where she is and that she is alive, please please help us find her! #bringMaddyHome
It’s disturbing older men up to their 40’s were at the party! What mentally sound 40 year old man would want to be parting with kids in their 20’s? Something not right there.