MISSISAUGA FIRST NATION — East Algoma OPP says that not all of the criteria was in place for police to issue an Amber Alert in the disappearance of a mother and daughter from Mississauga First Nation earlier this week.
Police received a missing person report Monday morning after five-year-old Nakina Boyer and her mother departed their residence but failed to attend a scheduled appointment.
A number of people took to social media this week, openly criticizing the OPP for its decision not to issue an Amber Alert in the young girl’s disappearance.
“You need to do better for our Indigenous children!” one person commented on an OPP Facebook page earlier this week. “Despicable that no Amber Alert was issued. Just despicable.”
Speaking with SooToday Thursday, East Algoma OPP Const. Bev Gauthier said there are four criteria that need to be met in order to issue an Amber Alert in Ontario:
- Police believe a child under 18 years of age has been abducted
- Police believe the child is in danger
- There is descriptive information on one or more of the following: child, abductor or vehicle
- There’s a belief an immediate broadcast alert will help in locating the child
“An Amber Alert is an emergency broadcast that is issued in the event of a child abduction,” according to the OPP website. “It is only issued when the abducted child is believed to be at imminent risk of bodily harm or death.”
But police do not believe Boyer was abducted by her mother. “We don’t believe the child is in danger,” Gauthier added.
Boyer is described as Indigenous, 4 ft. tall, 80 lbs., with a heavy build, brown eyes and straight light brown hair. Her mother is described as Indigenous, 5 ft. 3 in. tall, approximately 145 lbs., medium build, with brown eyes and long brown hair.
The mother has previous ties to Batchewana First Nation, Sault Ste. Marie, Garden River First Nation and Toronto, Gauthier said.
Police are currently in the process of following up on a number of leads in the case. The investigation is ongoing.
“People know where she is. People know,” said Gauthier. “They’re not coming forward, that’s the thing.”
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Boyer and her mother is urged to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or their nearest police authority.
Those who wish to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or at www.saultcrimestoppers.com.
