‘Unbearable’ three years for family of missing woman

It has been three harrowing years since Rochellda “Dadah” Woodside vanished without a trace while walking home in August 2022. Her family, enduring an unbearable void, continues to seek answers, praying for her safe return or at least the chance to lay her to rest with dignity. Victoria Ferguson, Rochellda’s 35-year-old sister, describes the ordeal as an unhealed wound that has left their family shattered. “We hope she’s alive, but if not, we just want to give her a proper burial,” Ferguson shared with The Tribune. Rochellda was last seen on August 11, 2022, walking along Lincoln Boulevard toward Washington Street, where she resided. Witnesses reported seeing her enter a car with an individual who offered her a ride—a person Ferguson believes was not a stranger and may hold the key to her disappearance. The family’s frustration has grown over what they perceive as a lack of urgency from the Royal Bahamas Police Force. Despite multiple searches and tips, including combing empty lots and abandoned buildings, no trace of Rochellda has been found. Ferguson recalls her sister as educated, kind, and street-smart, someone who would not have accepted a ride from an untrusted individual. The family suspects jealousy or a personal dispute involving a friend or ex-boyfriend as possible motives. This tragedy is not the family’s first; in 2017, Rochellda’s brother was killed, leaving behind two children who still ask about their missing aunt. Ferguson, who returned to New Providence from the United States after her sister’s disappearance, remembers Rochellda’s aspirations—opening a clothing store, a car rental company, and returning to school. Each year, on the anniversary of her disappearance, Ferguson revisits her sister’s belongings and memories, keeping her spirit alive. Despite the silence and lack of progress, the family vows to continue their search, holding onto faith and the hope for eventual closure.