May 5 marks the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, also known as Missing-Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP). Native women face murder rates more than 10 times the national average. Here in Montana, Indigenous women are four times more likely to be reported missing. MTN is sharing some of the stories from the MMIP crisis.
Maureena 'Mena' Twoteeth was walking along Highway 93 in January 2022 next to Mission Bridge in St. Ignatius.
She was intoxicated and called for a ride. Mena was waiting to be picked up when she was hit by a vehicle and died.
WATCH:
A 22-year-old woman from Bozeman struck and killed her.
The initial police report did not indicate any drugs were involved. However, three years later, the Montana Highway Patrol confirmed to MTN that the driver had THC in her system.
MTN News tried to contact the Lake County Attorney for comment on this case, but have not yet received a response.
Now, Twoteeth's family shares the impact of living next to roads that have stolen more than one of their loved ones.
U.S. Highway 93 cuts right through the heart of the Flathead Reservation, and a lot of people walk alongside the road, which is known for its dangerous conditions and high speeds.
Many have lost their lives, which is why locals say: 'Pray for me, I drive 93.'
“It's just not safe," sister Kristen Twoteeth said.
Mena was Cree and a member of the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes.
After she was killed, a Tribal officer showed up at her mother, Bonnie Asencio's, residence.
“I remember just being in disbelief, just holding myself because my body wasn't doing what I wanted it to do, and that was stand up," Asencio said.
But Mena wasn’t the first child Asencio lost.
“Two of my children died before me," Asencio stated.
Her daughter, Ruby Saluskin, was a passenger in a 2020 fatal crash along Montana Highway 35.
“My daughters are important. They are just as important as any other children in the world," Asencio said.
Now, only four of Asencio’s six daughters are alive.
“My mom's voice keeps ringing through my ears to be safe, please," sister Bonnie Saluskin said.
The surviving family lives alongside the roads where white crosses mark their losses.
"I had anxiety really bad after that. I couldn't even drive really, and especially at like nighttime," Kristen Twoteeth shared.
"There have been 58 crashes and 65 fatalities on Highway 93 from Wye to the end of the Flathead Reservation from 2020-2025," Montana Highway Patrol Captain Sean Silvan shared in a statement to MTN.
Still, people commonly walk.
“Indian people walk. We're not afraid to not have a vehicle. My mom lives a mile just right down the road here. I'll walk over there easy," Asencio said.
The family hopes someday for changes that would make getting around the reservation safer for the next generation.
Watch related coverage: Arlee family finds justice and purpose following tragic loss of daughter
"I would love for a billboard to be here that says: 'You are now on a reservation and we love to walk,'" Asencio stated.
But all the while, they hold memories of loved ones lost on the road close.
Kristen Twoteeth got a tattoo of a cat for her sister Mena to honor her Indigenous name and remember her by.
She also named her daughter after a saying from Ruby.
"My sister Ruby was always telling us to love each other. That's what I named my baby, Leila Love, after her saying that," said Twoteeth.
Bonnie Saluskin channels her emotions into song with one line being, "Now, death is no longer an option. That's my word to my mom."
As the family lives each day, they focus on caring for their remaining family members and elevating their loved ones' stories whenever possible.
“Being able to be there for your children, being able to be there for your mothers, your, you know, your fathers, your, your family. That's what this is all about," Saluskin said.
“They are my daughters, and I love them with all of my heart. They continue to be mine even though they're in heaven," Asencio concluded.
