In fourth week, investigators return to missing girl’s neighbourhood
The Canadian Press
TORONTO -- Police returned to set up another command post near the home of Cecilia Zhang Saturday, as the search for the missing girl neared its fourth week.
The nine-year-old girl has been missing since Oct. 20, when she was abducted from her bedroom as her parents slept.
As police sort through more than 1,100 tips, they’ve chosen to return to her neighbourhood to begin what they call an “investigative” search.
“In the initial stages, it was more of a very thorough search that we did for Cecilia and while we are still searching for her physically, we are also doing what we call an investigative canvass, looking for any possible information that maybe somebody has seen or heard something since she disappeared,” Sgt. Dave Perry, the lead investigator on the case, told Toronto news station CablePulse 24.
Sgt. Perry said police do not have a suspect, nor do they even know where Cecilia might be, or if she is still alive.
“We have no idea where Cecilia is in terms of whether she is still here in Toronto or outside Toronto or outside the country,” Sgt. Perry said.
“We have no evidence that Cecilia is not alive and we are going to continue this investigation as though she is.”
In the four weeks since Cecilia was snatched, none of her abductors -- police believe more than one person was involved -- have contacted authorities or the various members of the Chinese community who’ve made public their contact information.