Calgary police renew plea to search properties for missing 11-year-old Parker into seventh day

Calgary police renewed their plea July 23, for home and business owners to search their properties for 11-year-old Parker, as the search entered its seventh day following his disappearance on July 16.

An Amber Alert was issued Saturday, July 18, after Parker went missing. He was last seen at his dayhome in the 0 to 100 block Connaught Drive, near Northmount Drive Northwest, sometime between 11:08 a.m. and 11:41 a.m. on July 16. On Tuesday, Calgary police posted a map detailing the route the boy is believed to have travelled before he was last spotted on a CCTV camera in the 5000 to 6000 block of Travis Crescent N.E., at around 12:52 p.m.

Police released a detailed video with guidance on effective property searches. Sergeant Chris Martin advised checking inside garages, sheds, vehicles, trailers, RVs, storage areas, under decks, between fences and hedges, and anywhere a child may seek shelter from the heat. He specifically mentioned checking inside BBQ cabinets, under BBQ covers, and inside water features such as hot tubs or pools. Martin noted that small children can hide in very tight spaces that may not seem logical to adults. He also recommended searching under any tarps, inside large landscaping bags, around piles of wood or yard debris, and any bins storing water, garbage, or recycling. "Over the years, I've found missing people in all sorts of places that didn't make sense to me, but at the time made sense to that person," Martin said.