Calgary police scaling back physical search for missing 11-year-old boy

Calgary police are shifting their strategy in the search for an 11-year-old boy, identified by the search community as Parker, who has been missing since July 16. Police Chief Katie McLellan announced Monday that physical search efforts in his last known locations, including Nose Hill Park and nearby waterways, have concluded.

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Given the amount of time that has passed and the information available to investigators, we are refocusing our efforts.

"Given the amount of time that has passed and the information available to investigators," McLellan explained, police will be "refocusing" their efforts. While the intensive ground search is being reduced, she emphasized that the investigation is far from over. "We are not giving up," McLellan stated, assuring that the search "remains ongoing" and that investigators will continue to pursue new information and leads.

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Physical search efforts in his last known whereabouts and in Nose Hill Park, including nearby waterways, have been completed.

Parker, who is neurodivergent and non-verbal, was last seen between 11:08 a.m. and 11:41 a.m. on July 16 near Connaught Drive Northwest. He was later captured on security footage around 12:52 p.m. the same day in a different part of the city. Despite no evidence of abduction, an Amber Alert was issued two days later.

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However, we are not giving up.

Over 12 days, search teams covered more than 8,600 kilometers and dedicated over 5,500 hours to the operation. They investigated more than 600 tips and reviewed over 100,000 CCTV clips from hundreds of cameras. "Our approach is changing, but our resolve to find answers for Parker and his family is not," McLellan concluded.

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Our approach is changing, but our resolve to find answers for Parker and his family is not.