Calgary police has issued an Amber Alert for a vulnerable missing 11-year-old boy after the Alberta government granted a rare exemption allowing the emergency alert despite the case not meeting the usual criteria.
The boy, named Parker, went missing from his family’s home in the Cambrian Heights neighbourhood on July 16 and was last seen in the nearby Thorncliffe neighbourhood wearing black noise-cancelling headphones, grey shorts, and no shirt, police said.
“Parker is a vulnerable autistic child and we are deeply concerned for his well-being given the length of time he has been missing and his specific vulnerabilities,” Calgary Police Service acting Insp. Rod MacNeil said during a news conference on July 18.
MacNeil called on residents in the neighbourhoods of Cambrian Heights, Thorncliffe, North Haven, Highwood and Highland Park to check their properties for any sign of Parker.
Typically, local police services and the RCMP will only activate an Amber Alert if a child or adult with a proven mental or physical disability has been abducted and is in danger of serious harm or death. In addition, there must be enough information to enable the public to identify the person, the abductor, and the mode of transportation, and law enforcement must have a reasonable expectation that the person could be returned or the abductor could be apprehended.
“We know Albertans care deeply about the safety of children and we are hopeful that expanding the awareness through the Alberta emergency system will generate new information that may help us locate them,” MacNeil said.
Staff Sgt. Scott Guterson said the police have received “at least 30 tips from the public.”
“When Parker is found, he is likely to be frightened. So, we need to be as gentle as possible if he is seen,” he said. “So, if a member of the public does see him, we’re asking them that they call 911 right away.”
The news release described Parker as 4 foot 11 inches tall, weighing approximately 90 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. There is nothing to indicate foul play is involved, the release added.
A reporter asked about the process behind getting the Amber Alert sent out and the reason why it was not issued earlier.
Guterson said the criteria was not met initially but that over 24 hours later when Parker still hadn’t been located, the police and the provincial government saw the need to quickly reach as many Calgarians as possible and the government granted the exemption right away.
