Ontario Police Seek Public Help in Identifying Child Found in River 2 Years Ago, Offer $50,000 Reward
Ontario Police have revealed a 3D facial approximation of a child found in the Grand River in Dunnville, Ont., two years ago. Furthermore, a $50,000 reward has been offered to prompt public assistance in identifying the child.
The female child was estimated to be between ten-and-a-half months and 3 years old at the time of her passing, as per Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) in a press release dated May 13. Investigative Genetic Genealogy results suggest her heritage could be half Chinese or from countries along the southern Chinese border, and half North African, based on genetic information. The image portrays the child with silvery-blond hair and dark brown eyes.
The child’s remains were discovered on May 17, 2022, by individuals fishing on the Grand River. Approaching the second anniversary of this discovery, an OPP investigator expressed optimism that the new forensic genetic image would assist in identifying the child.
“We hope that the 3D facial approximation will jog someone’s memory and enable us to identify this little girl. We aim to restore this child’s name,” said OPP Detective Inspector Shawn Glassford. “It’s hard to comprehend how someone could abandon a child like that.”
In addition, the OPP has unveiled a new video titled “The Grand River Baby: Unsolved,” providing insight into the case. Although the OPP has reviewed missing person records, the video emphasizes that no reports have been filed regarding this missing child thus far.
OPP detective constable Darryl Graham, who was involved in the case in 2022, shared the heavy-hearted feeling he felt when he received the call for service.
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“I hoped that this report had been exaggerated and that the information or observations were incorrect,” he mentioned in the video. “As a parent myself, the last thing I wanted to be involved in was learning that a child had passed away.”
Mr. Graham conveyed that he was informed by Haldimand County police that a child’s body had been found on the southern bank of the Grand River. Haldimand County is a rural township on the Niagara Peninsula in Southern Ontario.
Authorities urge anyone with information about this child’s identity or relevant details, such as knowledge of a family that may have suddenly left town under suspicious circumstances, to come forward. Contact the dedicated tip line at 1-844-677-9403. Those who prefer to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or visit their website.
