TORONTO, Canada โ Toronto Police and community volunteers are continuing an intensive search operation for a missing 14-year-old Jewish teenage girl identified as Esther, also known as โEsti,โ who disappeared Friday night in the Earl Bales Park area of North York.
Police said Esther was last seen on Friday, May 15, 2026, near Bathurst Street and Sheppard Avenue West, an area adjacent to Earl Bales Park, a large wooded park with trails, ravines, and sections connected to the West Don River.
According to the Toronto Police Service, Esther is described as 5-foot-2 with a medium build and brown hair. Authorities said she was last seen wearing a green long-sleeve top and grey track pants loose around the ankles.
Investigators have not publicly released details regarding the circumstances surrounding her disappearance. Police have stated only that Esther was last seen around 11:30 p.m. Friday in the vicinity of a community centre near Earl Bales Park and has not been heard from since.
Search operations intensified over the weekend as officers deployed mounted units, drones, marine teams, and ground search crews throughout the area.
Duty Inspector Scott Bradbury told media outlets that police had been โscouring the area for nearly 48 hoursโ using multiple search methods due to the challenging terrain and the size of the park.
Earl Bales Park covers approximately 127 acres and contains dense wooded sections, walking trails, open green space, and water features connected to the Don River system. The parkโs geography has complicated the search effort.
The disappearance has generated significant concern within Torontoโs Jewish community, particularly in North York, where many Orthodox Jewish families live within walking distance of the search zone.
Multiple Jewish organizations, community groups, and grassroots volunteer networks have circulated missing person notices online and encouraged the public to assist authorities by remaining alert and reporting possible sightings.
Posts shared widely on Instagram and Facebook identified the missing teen as โEstherโ or โEstiโ and urged residents throughout the Greater Toronto Area to monitor parks, transit stations, wooded areas, and surrounding neighborhoods.
The Missing Children Society of Canada and other missing persons organizations also amplified the search alerts through social media channels over the weekend.
Community volunteers reportedly joined organized search efforts alongside police, with some residents canvassing nearby streets and trails throughout Saturday and Sunday.
Toronto Police have continued urging members of the public not to speculate online about the teenagerโs disappearance and instead focus on sharing verified police information.
Authorities have not publicly indicated whether foul play is suspected.
The case has drawn widespread attention on social media, where many members of Torontoโs Jewish community have shared prayers, messages of support, and appeals for information.
Several Jewish community activists and organizations have encouraged residents to remain vigilant while avoiding the spread of unverified rumors or misinformation.
Police are asking anyone with information regarding Estherโs whereabouts or possible sightings to contact investigators immediately or reach out anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
As of Monday evening, the search remained active, and investigators said they were continuing to pursue all available leads.
