TORONTO – A 14-year-old girl from Toronto, who went missing in North York, has been located safe after almost two weeks, according to police on Thursday.
The teenager was discovered in a house around 1 p. m. Thursday. Esther, who is on the autism spectrum, appeared to be in “good physical health” and was being evaluated at a hospital, said Supt. Don Belanger.
“Our investigation will now focus on whether there’s any evidence of criminal activity related to her extended disappearance,” Belanger mentioned.
During Thursday’s brief press conference, reporters had many questions about how Esther was found, most of which were left unanswered.
When asked what led police to the home and if someone inside called them, Belanger didn’t answer directly but referred to the “painstaking” video canvassing done by investigators.
“That’s certainly contributed to us getting to where we are today,” he said.
Both officers and volunteers worked together in the search for the girl, who police stated was first reported missing from the Earl Bales Park area on May 15.
Police units with dogs and community members searched through North York park while drones flew overhead looking for any signs of Esther. Police later confirmed her last sighting was shortly after midnight near Bathurst Street and Hotspur Road on May 16.
Last week, the search effort was escalated to a Level 1 operation-a rare classification that police say only applied to five out of nearly 3,100 missing person cases last year.
A dedicated tipline and website were established for the case while Jewish community groups mobilized volunteers and organized search parties for the teen affectionately called “Esti” by family members.
“I just want to start by saying that thousands of people came out to help from all walks of life, not just from our community but from the entire community,” Maureen Leshem, who spoke on behalf of the family during the search efforts, told reporters Thursday.
“We can breathe again.”
Esther’s parents expressed their relief in a statement later Thursday afternoon as they requested privacy to prioritize their daughter’s well-being.
“To be clear , while this is the end of the search , Esti still needs proper medical care , evaluation , and support , and our family is focused on making sure she is surrounded by love and care she needs in the days ahead ,” they said.
“We are incredibly grateful she is home , but we are still taking things moment by moment , and we ask that people refrain from speculating.”
As searches continued this week , her family announced a $25,000 reward funded by anonymous donors for information that would lead to Esther’s safe return.
Reports indicated that posters placed by volunteers were torn down in some areas-a situation criticized by both police and Leshem.
This report by The Canadian Press was first May 28 ,2026.
The Canadian Press
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