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Posters of missing 14-year-old Jewish girl 'are being ripped down across Toronto'
Toronto Police have released an additional image of the 14-year-old in hopes it will help find the Jewish girl who has been missing since Friday, May 15. The latest release also adds that she was last seen on May 16 at 12:01 a.m., in the Bathurst Street and Hotspur Road area.
On the weekend, Michael Levitt, President-CEO of the Simon Wiesenthal Center Canada, shared an image of a torn poster on X and told whoever had done it to stop.
“As volunteers search desperately for a missing 14-year-old Jewish girl, posters meant to help bring her home are being ripped down across Toronto,” posted Combat Antisemitism Movement on X on Monday as they reshared a video by Dan Levy. “Not political posters. Not protest signs. A missing child.”
The parents said on Thursday that their daughter has been diagnosed before as being on the autism spectrum, CP24 reports. The parents added that the “only reason we’re okay saying it now because she’s still missing.” Her mother said, “ It’s like her medical information that she should have the right to disclose when she chooses to.”
Last week, Toronto police said they have elevated the search for Esther to Priority 1 status and on Thursday announced that they have launched a dedicated phone line for tips about her disappearance, committing all available resources as community volunteers join in the effort to find her.
A Priority 1 or Level 1 search is the highest level of response from the police, and mobilizes extensive resources like specialized K-9 units, drones, mounted officers and large-scale ground searches, in addition to community outreach.
The 14-year-old was last seen on Friday, May 15, in the area of Earl Bales Park , a large green space located at Bathurst Street and Sheppard Avenue West in northern Toronto.
She is described as 5-foot-2, medium build, with brown hair, and was last seen wearing grey sweatpants, a green shirt and no shoes.
“It was Friday night,” her mother, Shira, told Global News. “It was cold outside and she left, and it was dark and she didn’t have her shoes. Both of her pairs of shoes are by the door. And she doesn’t have her phone. Her phone is in the house.”
The mother added that the 14-year-old had left her home before but always returned.
Police have released an image of the 14-year-old, as well as several blurry security camera images, which have been widely shared on social media.
“I don’t know who else she might have contact with,” her mother said. “I really hope that she’s OK and maybe she’s just scared to come home and she has friends or someone helping her.”
Volunteers in the search include many from Toronto’s large Jewish community, including Shomrim Safety Patrol , an organization founded in 2021 and committed to ensuring the safety and security of Jewish communities across the Greater Toronto Area.
A command centre is operating from the nearby Petah Tikvah Synagogue parking lot. Police say they have deployed a drone as well as marine, canine and mounted units in the search.
Duty Inspector Peter Wallace said in an update: “We are currently appealing to the public to please check your backyard if you reside in this area, your sheds and also your surveillance camera.”
At that time, the mother also delivered a direct appeal to her daughter.
“(The 14-year-old), my love, if you are watching this, please come home,” she said. “We love you so very much. We miss you terribly. Your family, here, across the country, and around the world, are searching and praying for you every minute. Your friends, classmates, neighbours, and community are all worried about you and hoping to see you safe.”
In a brief press conference on Thursday afternoon, TPS had no new information to provide, but announced a new dedicated phone line of 647-355-4148 for anyone with information that could assist their search. They can also call 911, TPS directly at 416-808-3200, or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at www.222tips.com .
“Anyone with information, no matter how small, please come forward,” Inspector Jon Rose said.
“ We do know and we deeply appreciate how concerning this is to the community and to the family when a young person goes missing, especially for this length of time. We would very much like to find (the teen) and get her home safely to her family.
Police have also created a QR code which people can scan and upload any video which may assist the investigation.
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