Cops claim mum was making unsettling searches before 3yo missing
Claire Bell, 3, was discovered on an Ontario highway, in Canada, on Wednesday afternoon, some 145km west of her home in Montreal, Sûreté du Quebec, the provincial police, said.
The toddler was seen Sunday morning leaving an emergency exit of her apartment building in Montreal's La Salle region with her mother, Rachel Todd, and her pet chihuahua, according to Le Journal de Montreal.
Her mother reported Bell missing later in the day in Coteau-du-Lac, about 97km away from where she was last seen, New York Post reported.
A large-scale 'frantic' search was then carried out in Quebec and Ontario following the missing report, according to CTV.
Hundreds of police and civilians went searching for the missing tot, according to the Montreal Gazette.
Bell was found wandering alone on the side of Highway 417 in Ontario after a drone search was deployed over a witness tip, the outlet said.
A chihuahua that matched the description of one believed to be with Bell when she was last seen was found dead close to the souvenir shop where Todd reported her daughter missing.
Cops are now searching for an important witness who may have more information about what happened in the hours between when Bell was last seen and reported missing by her mother, the outlet reported.
The witness is a woman who lives on a farm either in the Montérégie region or in Ontario, speaks English and French, and had met the missing girl's mother on Sunday between when she was last seen and reported missing.
Todd, 34, was arrested and charged with child abandonment, according to the outlet.
Investigators allegedly found alarming online searches, including funeral arrangements and children's urns, when they looked through Todd's phone after her arrest, Le Journal de Montreal reported.
'This story really, really doesn't look good,' a police source working on the case told the outlet.
Court proceedings for Todd have been delayed until Friday, the Gazette said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
a day ago
- News.com.au
Prosecution did not prove case in Canada hockey sex assault trial: judge
Prosecutors did not prove that five Canadian professional hockey players committed sexual assault, a judge found Thursday, ruling that evidence provided by the female complainant was neither "credible or reliable." The accused -- who all previously played in the National Hockey League -- stood trial over allegations they assaulted the woman in a hotel room following a June 2018 celebration for a national men's junior team. Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube, Carter Hart and Callan Foote denied wrongdoing, insisting the accuser -- whose identity is protected -- consented to a variety of sex acts in a London, Ontario hotel room. "Having found that I cannot rely upon the evidence of (the complainant) and then considering the evidence in this trial as a whole, I conclude that the crown cannot meet its onus as on any of the counts before me," Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia told a packed court room. "I do not find the evidence of EM to be either credible or reliable," the judge further said. The complainant, 20 at the time, met McLeod at a bar in London before having sex with him. That initial encounter was not at issue in the trial, which focused on events that occurred after McLeod messaged a team-wide group chat asking if anyone was interested in a "three-way." Prosecutors argued the players engaged in sex acts with the complainant without taking steps to ensure her consent. Defense lawyers said the woman willingly participated and only made the assault allegations after regretting her choices. Criminal trials in Canada are often decided by a jury, but the case shifted to a judge-only trial after two juries were dismissed. An initial police investigation into the allegations produced no charges. But subsequent media probes revealed Hockey Canada, a governing body, used funds from subscription fees paid by ordinary families for a $3.55 million CAD ($2.6 million USD) out-of-court settlement with the woman, forcing the resignation of Hockey Canada's leadership. London police re-opened the case, and brought charges against the players last year. The case, which focused on the evolving definition of consent under the law has been one of the most closely-watched in recent Canadian history and sparked debate about culture in hockey, the cherished national sport.
News.com.au
3 days ago
- News.com.au
Urgent search for baby and two children missing from Gold Coast
A desperate search continues for two missing schoolchildren and a baby last seen on Queensland's Gold Coast on Friday. On Tuesday evening, police released photos of a 7-week-old baby girl, a 10-year-old girl and six-year-old boy. The image of 41-year-old Monique, who is described as caucasian, with dark brown hair and brown eyes, was also released. She is known to the children and is believed to be with them. Police did not share Monique's surname. Officers believe Monique is driving a white Nissan X-Trail and may be in the Tenterfield area in NSW's Northern Tablelands. The children were last seen near Mirambeena Drive in Pimpama shortly before 9am on July 18. Police and the children's family are concerned about their welfare due to their age. Anyone who may have seen the children or the Nissan, which bears the Queensland registration 992XPS, are urged to contact police.
ABC News
3 days ago
- ABC News
Search for missing Sussex Inlet fisher Geoff Buchanan suspended after empty boat located
The search for missing fisherman Geoff Buchanan off the New South Wales coast has been suspended after his empty boat was recovered by authorities. A multi-agency search for Mr Buchanan started on Saturday evening after the Sussex Inlet man failed to return to the Batemans Bay marina. It is believed the 56-year-old was heading towards the continental shelf to catch tuna. About 1:20pm on Tuesday, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority's (AMSA) aircraft located the boat about 80 nautical with east of Narooma. No one was on board. Police said fisherman on board a nearby commercial fishing vessels helped stop the boat in challenging conditions. The boat, a white, 8-metre Avor motor cruiser, will be towed to shore. Police said patrols by Marine Area Command would continue in the coming days. A close friend of Mr Buchanan, and manager of the Batemans Bay d'Albora marina, Mitch Chaffey, said Mr Buchanan was a highly experienced waterman. "Geoff's been around the water his whole life, very experienced in the water and on the water, fisherman, skin diver, who knows his way around a boat," Mr Chaffey said. NSW Police Marine Area Command officer Detective Chief Inspector Anthony Brazzill said Mr Buchanan was a diabetic and police had not ruled out the possibility he suffered a medical episode on board. "The gentleman does have health issues managing diabetes that we're extremely concerned about … we understand he had the medication," Inspector Brazzill said. The search, which was initially focused between Narooma and Bermagui, was expanded on Monday to between Port Stephens and the Victorian border after unconfirmed sightings of the vessel by the public. Inspector Brazzill said using drift modelling, the search area was expanded again on Tuesday to cover 9,200 square nautical miles from Port Stephens to Bass Strait. However, he said there had been a particular focus further out to sea from the south coast of New South Wales on Tuesday. Mr Chaffey said Mr Buchanan had been planning to fish for tuna near the continental shelf and potentially stop for a dive on the way back on Saturday. He said Mr Buchanan was meant to be on the boat with his friend that day but the friend could not make it. "[Mr Buchanan] was very safety conscious," he said. Police said the Australian Maritime Safety Authority Challenger jet, military aircraft, marine rescue and surf life saving vessels had been involved in the search.
