A province-wide search for a missing three-year-old girl from the Montréal area has ended in relief, as the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) confirmed that Claire Bell has been found safe.
Claire was reported missing on Sunday, June 14, after she was last seen around 9:45 a.m. near Newman Avenue in LaSalle, a borough of Montréal. The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) received the missing child report at approximately 3:45 p.m. the same day. The investigation expanded into Ontario following reported sightings of the child and her mother’s vehicle in the St. Albert and Casselman areas.
The SQ requested assistance from the OPP after witnesses reported seeing a grey Ford Escape with Quebec licence plate K50 FVE, driven by the child’s mother, enter Highway 417 eastbound via the Casselman on-ramp around 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. The vehicle was also identified by a yellow “baby on board” sign in the rear window.
This prompted a coordinated search effort involving multiple jurisdictions and emergency services across Eastern Ontario.
On Wednesday, June 18, shortly after 2:00 p.m., members of the OPP Emergency Response Team, using a remotely piloted aerial system, located Claire Bell adjacent to Highway 417 near Casselman.
The child was found alive and conscious but dehydrated. She was immediately attended to by emergency responders and received appropriate medical care. According to police, it was information from the public that played a key role in leading authorities to her location.
Charges Laid Against Mother
The child’s mother, Rachel Todd, was arrested and charged with child abandonment on June 17 at the Valleyfield Courthouse in Québec. Authorities have not released further details about the circumstances leading up to the disappearance.
Massive Interagency Effort
The successful recovery involved cooperation from several police and emergency agencies, including the Sûreté du Québec, Montreal Police Service, OPP detachments from Hawkesbury, Russell County, and Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, OPP Aviation Services Unit, Canine Unit, Emergency Response Team, and Forensic Identification Services.
Authorities extended heartfelt thanks to members of the media, the public, and emergency and medical personnel for their role in sharing critical information and supporting the search effort.
When first reported missing, Claire Bell was described as three feet (0.90 metres) tall, weighing 35 lbs (16 kg), with brown hair and eyes, and wearing grey pants and a long-sleeved white shirt with pink around the collar likely being barefoot.
Conclusion
The discovery of Claire Bell safe and sound marks a positive conclusion to a high-stakes search operation that spanned provincial borders. The coordinated response showcases the importance of timely public assistance, interagency collaboration, and advanced search technologies.
