Laval mother desperate to find missing son, 13
The mother of one of two young teens reported missing in Laval last week is desperately asking anyone who might know where her son is to contact authorities.
“This is the first time he runs away,” an emotional Jeanne-Gardine Gilles, 47, said on Monday. “I don’t know where he is and I just need to find him.”
Gilles’s 13-year-old son, Jean Gabriel Israël, and his halfbrother Jean Michael Israël, 15, were last seen leaving Laval’s École Saint-Martin together on Thursday. According to Gilles, the teens live in different group homes overseen by the Centre jeunesse de Laval.
Gilles last saw Jean Gabriel two Sundays ago, when he spent the day at home before being dropped off at his group home to spend the week there. He seemed fine, Gilles said, and made sure to give his mother four kisses before leaving.
She says the home contacted her during the weekend to let her know they found a letter he left behind in his room.
“It said ‘I’ll stay strong to find my family. One for all, all for one. Family forever,’ ” she said.
The 13-year-old also drew four stick figures at the bottom of the letter — two tall ones and two shorter ones, Gilles said.
“If he could just give me a sign, please, to let me know he’s OK,” she said. “I don’t know what to say ... He’s a good kid.”
Laval police Lt. Geneviève Villemure said the teens live in a “difficult family context,” but that all parents are fully co-operating. The force is doing everything it can to find them, Villemure added, but hasn’t received much useful information since Thursday. Neither of the teens has a history of running away.
The Centre jeunesse de Laval made headlines last year when several teenage girls were reported missing from it, forcing the government to name an independent overseer to look into the situation. The centre would not comment on this report Monday.
Both Israël brothers speak French.
Jean Gabriel is about 5-foot-8, weighs about 130 pounds, has black hair, black eyes and dark skin. He was last seen wearing dark pants, a black coat with a fur-trimmed hood, black Timberland boots and a chain with a cross.
Jean Michael is about 5-foot8, weighs 121 pounds, has black hair, brown eyes and dark skin. He was last seen wearing black pants, black shoes and a chain with a cross.
Anyone who might have information about the brothers is asked to call Laval police at 450-6624636 or 911.