Officers have taken a man into custody who might have been involved in the disappearance of 5-year-old Canadian girl Taliyah Leigh Marsman.
The Calgary Police Service said on Thursday in an update that officers are searching “east of Calgary.” The update comes a day after the man was arrested.
“Subsequent information was obtained and as a result, we will be searching a rural area east of Chestermere for evidence in relation to the case,” the service said.
An AMBER Alert was issued for Marsman after her mother was found dead in her home the previous day.
“The man taken into custody is believed to have been driving a dark grey sedan in the Panorama community, which investigators believe was involved in Taliyah’s disappearance. The car was seen driving close to where homicide victim Sara Baillie’s car had been recovered. CCTV footage obtained shows the car around the time when Taliyah was last believed to have been seen,” the police department said.
The child, however, has not been found, and the AMBER Alert is still in effect.
The girl was wearing red or pink boots with white polka dots and was carrying a reddish-colored suitcase.
The family of Marsman, including her great-aunt, Mary-Lynne Hamilton, issued a plea for her return.
“Taliyah, honey, if you are watching this, we love you. Stay strong, honey,” she said, according to the Calgary Sun
Taliyah’s father, Colin Marsman, who was estranged from her mother, issued a statement on Tuesday, pleading for whoever abducted her to “do the right thing,” NBC News reported.
“With all my heart, I love her so much; she’s my light! Please allow her to come home to her family,” Marsman’s statement said.
Police say Taliyah is mixed race, with a slim build, brown curly hair, and blue eyes.
Those with information about the case are asked to contact the Calgary Police Service at 403-266-1234.
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