Authorities are pleading to the public, confident someone saw a family of four before they died trying to cross into the United States on foot during near-blizzard conditions. 

On January 19, the frozen bodies of the Patel family were found near the Emerson/U.S border. They have been identified as three-year-old son Dharmik, 11-year-old daughter Vihangi, 37-year-old mother Vaishaliben, and 39-year-old father Jagdishkumar. Initially, authorities mistook Vihangi for a male teenager, saying the state of the family's frozen bodies made the identification difficult.

"This will be a lengthy international investigation," Manitoba RCMP Chief Superintendent Rob Hill says. "We are looking at months and months ahead of us, but our officers are determined to find out exactly how this tragedy occurred."

The Criminal Operations Officer says RCMP is trying to piece together the timeline from when the family arrived from India in Toronto, to when they arrived in Manitoba, and eventually their death 10 meters from the U.S. border.

"The RCMP has started an extensive investigation as to how the Patel made their way to Canada, and ultimately, to Emerson."

Authorities could share little information about the investigation, but are certain someone would have seen the family at some point before their death.

"We need anyone who had interaction with the Patel family, or has information about their journey to the border, to think about what they went through," Hill says. "This could include hotels, gas stations, or restaurant employees."

They do not know if the family had ever been in Emerson, the nearest town to where they were found.

Authorities say they did not have an indication that human smuggling from Manitoba to the U.S was happening before this incident, but believe this was a case of smuggling. The family had passports with them when they were found.

"There was no abandoned vehicle located on the Canadian side of the border. This clearly indicates that someone drove the family to the border, and then left the scene."

Criminal charges are possible in this investigation, but there have been no arrests so far.

The family's bodies are with the Consulate General of India in Toronto, who will work with their family in India.

Those with information are being asked to call Manitoba RCMP Major Crime Services at 431-489-8551, or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.