The family of an 11-year-old Calgary boy named Parker, who went missing from his dayhome on July 16, is thanking Calgarians for their “compassion, determination and truly heroic efforts” as the search continues for their son.
Describing the experience in a social media post as “an incredibly painful time,” the family also provided an update on search plans.
Calgary police said the boy, who is neurodivergent and non-verbal, was last seen at his dayhome in the 0 to 100 block of Connaught Drive near Northmount Drive Northwest sometime between 11:08 a.m. and 11:41 a.m. on Thursday, July 16.
On Saturday, two days after he went missing, Calgary police received special permission from the province to issue an Amber Alert, even though they said, so far, there’s no evidence he was abducted.
According to police, Parker is neurodivergent and non-verbal and may become even more scared if confronted by strangers. If anyone does see him, they are being told to not approach him, but keep him in sight and call 9-1-1 immediately.
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A new map, provided by Calgary police on Tuesday, shows Parker headed northeast toward the community of Highwood.
He is then “believed” to have travelled along Northmount Drive to the area around Centre Street and McKnight Boulevard — possibly doubling back at times — and was last picked up on video in the 5000 to 6000 block of Travis Crescent N.E. at around 12:52 p.m. on Thursday, July 16.
A map, provided by Calgary police on Tuesday, shows the last known locations where Parker was seen and the route he is believed to have followed.
Source: Calgary Police
In a written update to the media on Tuesday, CPS said more than 400 officers have been involved in the search for the missing boy, following up on more than 300 public tips.
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They have covered more than 7,000 km — the equivalent of the distance from Calgary to London, England — over a total 5,500 search hours, knocking on the doors of several hundred homes and businesses, along with aerial support, mountain bike and mounted patrols, canine searchers and extensive river searched by the Calgary Fire Department and searches of railway tracks and surrounding property by employees of Canadian Pacific Kansas City.
Hundreds of search and rescue experts, along with concerned members of the community, have also been involved in the search.
Calgary police officers are seen at the command centre in the community of Thorncliffe early Tuesday morning as the search for Parker entered day 6.
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Despite the huge outpouring of help from the community, police on Tuesday also issued a warning about people showing up at private residences and confronting the people who live there or attempting to investigate criminal tips on their own.
“This behaviour is unacceptable and is putting community members at risk,” police said in their statement.
“Confronting residents and organizing your own investigations can hinder our efforts and draws police resources away from the search and investigation,” police added.
In a separate map, posted on social media, the family announced plans for volunteers to concentrate on searching an area between 1.8 km and 3.8 km from where Parker was last seen and encouraged anyone wishing to help to focus their efforts on the area as well “to make the best use of everyone’s time and effort.”
In a post on social media, Parker’s family also provided an update on their search plans.
Source: Facebook/findparkeryyc
Describing Parker as “a resourceful young man,” the family also encouraged anyone who may have already searched their property to do it again — “inside and out — including garages, sheds, vehicles, stairwells, gardens, storage areas and any other place a small child could fit” and to keep an eye out for anything “that seems out of place.”
Calgary police are also encouraging anyone who lives in the area and who has CCTV footage or dashcam video of the area between the time Parker went missing and now to contact them.
Police said Parker is 150 cm (4 feet, 11 inches) tall, weighs approximately 41 kg (90 pounds), with brown hair, a shaved head and brown eyes and was last seen shirtless, wearing dark shorts and black noise-cancelling headphones.
“Our hearts are heavy, but our hope and determination remain,” said the family in their social media post, thanking Calgarians for “standing together for Parker.”
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