Family pleads for help finding missing 14-year-old Esther
One week after disappearance, parents make fresh appeal; girl on autism spectrum and vulnerable to trusting strangers.
It has been one week since 14-year-old Esther vanished, and her family made a fresh public appeal Friday for information about her disappearance.
Esther's mother, Shira, spoke to media expressing deep concern for her daughter's safety. "She's very, very smart, but I worry that she's going to be too trusting, that somebody will have ill intentions," Shira said. "I don't know where she is, so it's really, really concerning."
Esther is on the autism spectrum, which her family says makes her particularly vulnerable. The family's ongoing distress underscores the urgency of locating her.
Police continue to investigate the case and are urging anyone with information to come forward. Missing-person cases involving young teens, especially those with additional vulnerabilities, typically receive intensive investigative focus.
The public appeal is a common tactic in missing-child investigations, as information from community members often proves critical. Anyone with information about Esther is being urged to contact Toronto police.