SEARCH CONTINUES
While a Montreal police diving unit searched the Rivière des Prairies on Monday, an SQ helicopter offered assistance in the continuing effort to find missing 10-year-old Ariel Jeffrey Kouakou. Katherine Wilton has the latest details.
One week after a woman spoke to Ariel Jeffrey Kouakou in a riverfront park on the day he went missing, police divers entered the river on Monday as the search for the 10-year-old boy began its second week.
Rivière des Prairies was frigid and the conditions for the divers were difficult, said Const. Manuel Couture of the Montreal police. Divers examined the stretch of river in front of Des Bateliers Park — the park where Ariel was last seen.
Police couldn’t say whether the divers would continue searching the river on Tuesday.
The head of the Missing Children’s Network said it’s important that police divers search the river in case Ariel ventured out too far and fell through thin ice.
However, she also said that it’s vital police continue investigating the possibility that Ariel may have been abducted.
“At this point, although a week has passed, we have to keep hope of finding this boy and giving the gift of closure to the parents,” said Pina Arcamone, the organization’s executive director.
“It’s unimaginable what they’re living. It really is.”
She said this case is particularly frustrating because it appears that Ariel disappeared without a trace.
“No one saw anything out of the ordinary,” she said. “There was not a shoelace, a scarf or a glove.”
Her organization has been printing posters that have been distributed by dozens of volunteers, and Arcamone said she wanted to acknowledge all the people who came out on the weekend to help with the search.
“The number of people from all walks of life and from different areas of the city was incredible,” she said. “They were putting up posters and going door to door. It’s very touching.”
Arcamone said she spoke to parents who are concerned there may be a predator in the neighbourhood.
“If there was a kidnapping, we need to know who did it so other children are not at risk,” she said.
On Sunday afternoon, members of the police tactical squad checked the force of the current at the search area, as well as the depth of the river and the thickness of the ice in the area to ensure their operation could proceed. As of Monday morning, police had received 247 tips concerning the missing boy.
The police department also deployed its mobile command post to the Galeries Normandie shopping centre on Salaberry St. in an effort to garner any information on Ariel’s whereabouts.
Police went door to door during the weekend near the area in the borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville where Ariel was last seen.
The reward being offered is now $75,000, after Rodi Furniture owner Bruno Rodi pledged $50,000 on Monday as an incentive to find the missing boy. Canadian boxer Adonis Stevenson had previously donated $15,000 to Ariel’s family, who had already announced a $10,000 reward to anyone who helps find their son.
Ariel’s father has told reporters he’s convinced his son was abducted.
A Gofundme campaign to help the family has been launched by staff at École des Berges-de-Lachine, the primary school where Ariel’s father, Kouadio Frédéric Kouakou, is a teacher. As of Monday afternoon, the fund had raised almost $26,000.
Anyone with information about Ariel is urged to call 911 or InfoCrime at 514-393-1133.
At this point, although a week has passed, we have to keep hope of finding this boy and giving the gift of closure to the parents.