Toronto police provide update on search for missing 14-year-old girl

A poster of missing 14 year-old Esther is seen in Earl Bales Park in Toronto on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Arlyn McAdorey

It’s been almost a week since a 14-year-old girl was last seen at a park in North York, and police are ramping up their search, setting up a dedicated phone line for tips on her whereabouts.

Duty Insp. Jon Rose provided an update on Thursday on their search for Esther, whose last known sighting was at Earl Bales Park, in the area of Bathurst Street and Sheppard Avenue West, around 11:30 p.m. on May 15.

“Unfortunately, tomorrow will mark one week since Esther has been missing,” he said.

“We remain deeply concerned for her safety.”

Police previously noted that the teen was heading in a northeasterly direction.

Esther is described as a white female, around five-foot-two, with a medium build and brown hair. She was last seen wearing a long, turquoise-sleeved sweater with words on the front and grey sweatpants that were loose around the ankles.

Speaking at the command post set up for the search, Rose said the search for the 14-year-old remains in the highest search category, Level One.

“Level One’s the most serious situation that opens up a lot of resources to us, like the marine unit, police dog services, and the mounted unit,” Rose explained, adding that officers are actively searching for Esther around the clock.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the tip line at 647-355-3148. The public can also upload any tips to a dedicated QR code.

“We deeply appreciate how concerning this is to the community and to the family when a young person goes missing, especially for this length of time,” Rose said.

“We would very much like to find Esther to get her home safely to her family.”

He noted that officers are following leads, but did not share further details about the investigation.

“We’re letting the information guide this investigation,” Rose said.