Tara-Lyn Poorman disappeared from a north Regina neighbourhood on Dec. 12, 2008.

A body found in north Regina last week is that of missing teenager Tara-Lyn Poorman, her mother says.

Shellyn Kay told CBC News Tuesday she identified the body of her 17-year-old daughter at the police station on Monday.

"My heart's breaking in a million pieces," Kay said.

The body was found Friday buried beneath snow in a yard at 371 Osler St. on the north side of the city. Police said they were investigating a suspicious death, but haven't said if they consider it a homicide.

Shellyn Kay says it kills her to think anyone would hurt her daughter. (CBC)

Police haven't said anything about the cause of death but said an autopsy and forensic tests will be done.

A funeral service will be held later this week on Kawacatoose First Nation, Kay said.

"I'm sad," she said. "There's a lot going through my mind right now. Anger. Hurt."

Poorman disappeared last December from an address about a block from where her body was discovered.

Her family covered the city with posters and made numerous pleas to the public hoping to find out what happened to her. The case helped bring attention to the plight of missing aboriginal women in Saskatchewan.

Kay, who was calm while speaking to a CBC reporter Tuesday, said she had held out the hope that her daughter would return alive. She's waiting for more information from the police and hopes her daughter didn't suffer, she added.

"That just kills me, thinking that anyone would hurt her," she said.