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News.com.au
9 hours ago
- News.com.au
Cops claim mum was making unsettling searches before 3yo missing
A toddler was found wandering on the side of a highway after a frantic four-day search — as cops revealed her mother made several unsettling online searches. 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.
Montreal Gazette
2 days ago
- Montreal Gazette
Explainer: Missing girl's disappearance didn't trigger an Amber Alert. Why not?
By From the moment Quebec provincial police announced that a three-year-old was missing on Sunday, questions swirled online over why authorities didn't issue an Amber Alert to inform the public. Faced with the question, police have repeatedly stated the case did not meet the criteria needed for an alert. Yet one of the top comments on the Sûreté du Québec's initial post about the disappearance comes from a mother questioning the decision. 'I would rather have 100 false alarms than one child who was not found in time,' her comment says, receiving nearly 2,000 likes. Here is a brief overview of how Amber Alerts work and why one wasn't issued in the case of the girl, who was found alive Wednesday afternoon. What are Amber Alerts? The Amber Alert system was created in the United States and introduced to Quebec in 2003. It is designed to quickly notify the public about a child who has been abducted and may be in danger. Co-operation between various police forces across the province ensures information is disseminated as swiftly as possible. In Quebec, only the Sûreté du Québec and the Montreal police department can trigger an alert. When an alert is issued, it is broadcast on television and radio, interrupting regular programming. In recent years, alerts have also been sent to compatible mobile phones. Quebec's Transport Ministry also ensures the alert is displayed on message boards along highways in order to reach drivers. What are the criteria needed? Amber Alerts are reserved for specific situations. They will only be triggered if three criteria are met at the same time. When a police department receives a report about a missing child, investigators quickly analyze the case to see if it warrants an alert. The criteria are as follows: The police have reason to believe a child has been abducted. The police have reason to believe the child is in serious danger. The police have information to share that could help locate the child, such as the car used or a description of the suspect. Why was no alert issued? Police have stated that no alert was issued in this case because it doesn't involve an abduction. The girl was seen around 9:45 a.m. Sunday near Newman Blvd. in Montreal's LaSalle borough. Her mother, Rachel Todd, reported her missing nearly six hours later at a fireworks store in Coteau-du-Lac, about 60 kilometres southwest of Montreal. Police have said Todd, 34, told an employee she lost the child and didn't know where she was. She has since been charged with child abandonment. Missing Children's Network executive director Mélanie Aubut said she understands why police didn't issue an Amber Alert, but acknowledged the public's frustrations. 'Any parents' worst nightmare is not knowing where their child is,' Aubut said. 'Families with missing children go through an extremely distressing experience, and I think that's why the population is so affected — because we all put ourselves in their shoes.' Aubut said the delay between when the girl was seen in LaSalle and when Todd reported her missing might have also factored into the decision not to trigger an alert. 'Amber Alerts are an essential tool that is usually used immediately,' she said. 'But in this case, we're talking about a delay of six hours between the child going missing and the police being alerted.' Should the criteria be loosened? Different jurisdictions across North America have wrestled with whether or not the criteria needed to trigger an alert should be less strict. While Aubut agreed the criteria is restrictive, she argued in favour of keeping it as is. She noted that in 2024, there were more than 6,600 instances of children being reported missing in Quebec, mainly involving teenage runaways. Five Amber Alerts were issued for the province. Excessive use of the alerts could become counterproductive, she said, as people might start tuning them out or become desensitized to the issue. 'We want to make sure that when we do sound the alarm, people's reaction isn't to say, 'Ugh, not another disappearance,'' Aubut said. In the girl's case, Aubut believes the Sûreté du Québec did its best to communicate information and prevent disinformation from spreading. Regardless of whether an Amber Alert is issued in a case, Aubut said it's crucial the public continues to spread word about a disappearance as new details emerge. 'Any little clue can change the course of the investigation, or could be the missing piece of the police's puzzle,' she added.
National Post
3 days ago
- National Post
Missing Quebec girl, 3, found safe after bizarre disappearance that led to charge against mother
The Father's Day disappearance of three-year-old Claire Bell was bizarre from the start, and as the frantic search for the missing Montreal girl stretched into its fourth day the escalating strangeness of the case was pointing to a dark ending. But then came joyful news. Claire had been found alive. Article content The missing girl was found by police in eastern Ontario, about 150 kilometres from her home in Montreal, on Wednesday afternoon. She was found in the St-Albert region after a strange and shifting investigation and large, intensive ground and air search. Article content Article content Article content As the news broke, some signs pointed to a parental dispute, perhaps designed to coincide with Father's Day or perhaps fuelled by other concerns and desperation. Article content Article content The case had galvanized the public. Claire's mother was already under arrest. There was a dead dog and a mysterious witness described as a farm woman wearing an apron, the Montreal Gazette reported. Hundreds of police and specialized civilians were scouring woods and highway ditches over a huge area, all while a flurry of dramatic social media posts preceding the disappearance showed the erratic mother variously upset, sad and angry . Article content Something distressing happened at some point in the next few hours. Article content News that tiny Claire was missing was revealed about six hours later when her mother, Rachel Todd, 34, stopped her SUV at a roadside fireworks and souvenir store about 55 kilometres west of where Claire was last seen. Police said she told an employee she had lost her child and didn't know where she was. An employee told CBC the woman ran into the store in a panic and said she couldn't remember what happened. Article content The mother's 3:30 p.m. statement at the store on St-Emmanuel Rd. in Coteau-du-Lac triggered a police investigation that quickly grew to a large search growing incrementally in scope and seriousness. Article content Five hours later, the Sûreté du Québec, the province's provincial police force, issued a public alert announcing Claire was missing. Article content Police included a photo of the girl, with her brown curly hair, kneeling outdoors while drawing on an easel, a coloured marker gripped in each of her hands. She is described as three feet tall, wearing a white long-sleeved shirt with a red collar, grey pants and no shoes. Article content 'Loved ones,' the release said in French, 'have reason to fear for her health and safety.' Article content 'Our specialist teams are currently deployed across various sectors to carry out intensive research,' the police added on X two hours later. 'All necessary resources are being mobilized to find the child as quickly as possible.' Article content #disparition de Claire Bell 3 ans, de LaSalle, vue pour la dernière fois hier vers 11h00 dans le secteur du boul. Newman, LaSalle. Nous ignorons où elle pourrait se trouver. *Il n'y pas d'Alerte Amber car les critères ne sont pas rencontrés* — Sûreté du Québec (@sureteduquebec) June 16, 2025 Article content The search for Claire continued for days, stretching from an apartment in Montreal, believed to be where Todd lived, west through rural terrain and highways and into Ontario. Article content On Monday afternoon, the search took a darker tone when a dog matching the description of Claire's pet, Hazel, a Chihuahua, was found dead in a Montreal suburb near Highway 30, which is a direct route between Montreal and the fireworks shop. The cause of the dog's death has not been released. Article content Police asked the public for information from anyone who might have seen a grey 2007 Ford Escape with licence plate number K5O FVE on Sunday. The vehicle has a yellow 'baby on board' sticker on the rear windshield. Article content Hours before Claire's disappearance, she appeared with her mother in an alarming selfie video posted online on TikTok. Article content Speaking English, through gritted teeth, staring intently into the camera and holding Claire tight to her chest, Todd spoke one line: 'You try that again, and this is going to get ugly.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Missing Quebec toddler's mother arrested, charged with child abandonment
The mother of Claire Bell, the three-year-old girl who was reported missing on Sunday, was arrested and charged with child abandonment on Monday. Rachel Todd, 34, is scheduled to appear in court again today in Valleyfield, Que. A video posted by Todd in the hours before Bell's disappearance has also surfaced on TikTok. Radio-Canada has confirmed the account belongs to her. In the short video, Todd is holding Claire and can be heard saying: "You try that again and this is going to get ugly." The caption says, "Have you come up against a mother with nothing to lose????" CBC does not know the context in which the video was filmed. Quebec provincial police said it is not commenting on the video. The search for the missing toddler was still underway on Tuesday morning, according to police spokesperson Jean-Raphaël Drolet, with a focus on Coteau-du-Lac, Highway 20 and Highway 30. Drolet indicated that police might consider other search areas depending on the information they obtain. The toddler was last seen Sunday morning at her home in LaSalle. Bell was reported missing a few hours later in Coteau-du-Lac, about 50 kilometres west of Montreal, where the police have been focusing their search. On Monday, around 5:30 p.m., police announced they were also searching around Highway 30 in the Vaudreuil-Dorion area where a brown chihuahua was found dead. The dog matched the description of the one thought to be with the girl when she was last seen. Police are still working to confirm that it's the same dog. The toddler was reported missing by her mother around 3 p.m. ET Sunday after the woman walked into a business on Chemin St-Emmanuel, says the SQ. The mother is being met by investigators. An employee of the store who was working Sunday said the woman drove her car into the parking lot and ran into the store in a panic. CBC News is not identifying the employee because she is not authorized to speak on behalf of the store. The employee said the woman said she'd lost her child and couldn't remember what happened. Another employee then called 911. According to police, Claire was last seen at her residence near Newman Avenue in Montreal's LaSalle borough Sunday morning, around 9:45 a.m. ET. Claire is three feet tall, weighs 35 pounds and has brown eyes and brown hair. She was last seen wearing grey pants and a long-sleeved shirt with pink around the collar, police said. She's likely barefoot, police added. Investigators are asking the public to reach out if they spotted the vehicle with the licence plate K50 FVE between 9:45 a.m. ET and 3 p.m. ET Sunday. The vehicle also has a yellow "Baby on board" sticker on the top right corner of the rear windshield. If you're affected by the details in this story, you can find mental health support resources in your province or territory.
Toronto Sun
4 days ago
- Toronto Sun
Mother of missing Quebec toddler arrested, charged with child abandonment
Rachel Todd posted a video to TikTok with the girl just hours before reporting her disappearance Published Jun 17, 2025 • 2 minute read Claire Bell is seen in a video posted to TikTok with her mother Rachel Todd. The mother of the three-year-old girl Claire Bell, whose disappearance under strange circumstances Sunday triggered a massive, continuing police search, has been charged with child abandonment and is expected to return to court in Valleyfield on Tuesday, the Sûreté du Québec says. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The SQ was unable early Tuesday to provide details on the circumstances leading to the arrest and charges or the reasons for the mother's second appearance in court later in the day. The woman posted a video to TikTok with the child just hours before reporting her disappearance. Rachel Todd, who is in her 30s, is seen in the short clip, posted on Sunday, holding the young girl. 'You try that again and this is going to get ugly,' she says, looking into the camera. The video is captioned: 'Have you ever faced a mother who has nothing left to lose?' Police report that Claire was last seen that morning, around 9:45, near Newman Blvd. in Montreal's LaSalle borough. Later on Sunday, Todd told staff at a souvenir shop in Coteau-du-Lac — roughly 60 kilometres southwest of Montreal — that she had lost her daughter and did not know where she was. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. A dead dog, believed to be the Chihuahua seen with her, was found by police just after 2 p.m. Monday near Highway 30. The woman is being questioned by the Sûreté du Québec's major crimes unit. Her apartment in LaSalle, has been sealed off with police notices and marked as a protected scene. Neighbours told The Gazette the door was bolted shut by officers Monday morning. Social media accounts reviewed by The Gazette show Todd recently worked in the restaurant industry. A relative and a friend contacted Monday declined to comment, citing police instructions. A family friend also refused an interview, saying: 'We just want her home.' The search for Claire continues Tuesday in LaSalle, Coteau-du-Lac and near the Ontario border. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Claire is described as three feet tall, weighing 35 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a white long-sleeved shirt with a red collar, grey pants and no shoes. No Amber Alert has been issued. Quebec's criteria require that police have reasonable grounds to believe a child has been abducted and is in imminent danger. Police are asking anyone with information — or who may have seen a grey 2007 Ford Escape with Quebec licence plate K50 FVE and a 'baby on board' sticker — to call 911. Anonymous tips can be shared via the Sûreté du Québec's criminal information line at 1-800-659-4264. Toronto Maple Leafs Columnists Canada Sunshine Girls Toronto Maple Leafs
