Calgary police continue to search for an 11-year-old boy missing since Thursday, with hundreds of officers and volunteers dedicated to the massive search.
On Thursday, police asked northwest Calgary residents, particularly in and around the Cambrian Heights neighbourhood, for help searching for the missing boy, named Parker. They expanded that search to the entire city Friday.
Calgary police acting Staff Sgt. Scott Guterson asked the public on Friday to check their yards, garages, open vehicles, RVs, sheds, pools or anywhere else a child could go.
“It is unusual that he has not been found yet, which is again why we are asking for that community help,” he said.
When he went missing, Parker was seen shirtless, wearing grey shorts, black Skechers shoes and black noise-cancelling headphones.
He’s four feet 11 inches tall and weighs approximately 90 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Guterson said Parker is autistic and functions at a two- or three-year-old level.
Police ask that any Calgarians choosing to search on their own do not interfere with police operations. They also ask any volunteer searchers to be mindful of the heat, so they do not end up requiring attention that could divert first responders from the search for Parker.
Guterson advised the public that if they come across Parker, they should not engage him, but instead call police. He said they believe the boy is non-verbal, and gets agitated when strangers approach him.
Police say Parker’s family has expressed that he loves Disney music, so officers have been playing some of his favourite songs from patrol vehicles driving in search areas.
We know Parker loves Disney music, so officers are playing some of his favourite songs from patrol vehicles in the search area in the hope that it may help draw his attention and encourage him to come out if he is nearby.
This search remains our highest priority. We’ll continue… pic.twitter.com/kGAw6R7uMI
—CalgaryPolice
Police are asking anyone with information about Parker’s location, or who may have CCTV or dashcam footage, to call 403-266-1234 or reach the police’s evidence submission portal.
Child last seen on Thursday
After Parker was seen Thursday at his day home in the 0 to 100 block of Connaught Drive N.W. between 11:08 and 11:41 a.m., the boy was seen in the Thorncliffe neighbourhood between 12:30 and 1 p.m., Guterson said.
Clothing that’s believed to belong to Parker was found at noon Thursday in the 0 to 100 block of Northmount Drive N.W., police said.
At a Saturday press conference, acting Insp. Rod MacNeil said the ongoing search for Parker has involved hundreds of Calgary Police Service members, including investigators, patrol officers, specialized units and civilian staff.
“There is nothing more important to us than finding Parker,” MacNeil said.
Footage released by the Calgary Police Service on July 19, shows missing 11-year-old, Parker, walking past a home on Travis Crescent N.E. on Thursday, July 16, 2026.
An emergency alert was broadcast on Saturday afternoon for Parker. Although police previously said the case did not meet the threshold for an Amber Alert, as foul play is not suspected, Calgary police said the provincial government made an exception in this case.
“We are hopeful that expanding the awareness through the Alberta emergency system will generate new information that may help us locate him,” MacNeil said.
On Saturday, police also released a CCTV photo of the boy, captured when he was last seen on Thursday on the 5000-6000 block of Travis Crescent N.E., in hopes it might aid in the search.
Family issues statement
In a statement, Parker’s family said they have been living “every parent’s worst nightmare” since he went missing.
“Every hour that passes without knowing where he is or whether he is safe has been incredibly difficult for us,” the family said in its statement, sent out by CPS on their behalf shortly after Saturday afternoon’s emergency alert.
The family implored people to continue searching their properties for Parker.
“Parker experiences the world in his own way. He may not respond when his name is called, and he can become frightened when approached by people he does not know,” the family said.
“Parker is deeply loved, and he is missed immensely. We just want our son home.”
WATCH | Why there are calls to expand Amber Alerts as police search for autistic Calgary boy:
At a Sunday press conference, Guterson said the search for Parker was not being scaled back as it entered its fourth day. About 120 trained search volunteers assisted with police efforts on Sunday, along with members of the RCMP.
That same day, police released additional CCTV footage of the boy taken at 12:52 p.m. Thursday in the 5500 block of Travis Crescent N.E. They had released a similar photo the day prior, in hopes it might help the search.
Police said Sunday investigators have received and assessed about 90 tips from the public and are reviewing some 50 hours of CCTV, security camera and dashcam footage. Anyone with additional footage is asked to contact police.
Police also said Sunday that search efforts are being increasingly focused on areas connected to Parker’s last known movements.
Guterson said police know the boy likes water and part of their search has been to check whether he’s near bodies of water.
He said Parker tends to lock doors behind him, meaning people searching their properties should take the time to check behind doors even if they’re locked.
CPS said it is also aware of AI-generated, altered and unverified images of Parker or his whereabouts circulating online, and is cautioning the public against viewing or sharing the content.
“Unverified images, videos and claims can create confusion, spread misinformation and divert investigative resources away from credible leads that may assist in locating Parker,” CPS said in a social media post on Monday.
Situations like this warrant emergency alert, advocate says
For Calgary mom Stephanie Karas, Saturday afternoon’s emergency alert came far too late.
“We’ve gotten alerts for tornadoes that have not touched down. We’ve gotten alerts for less, so I don’t know why there wasn’t,” she said.
Karas, a mother of two children with autism, says she’s lobbying the municipal and provincial governments to create an emergency alert protocol specifically for situations like this.
“Why isn’t there something for vulnerable youth and adults that aren’t equipped?” Karas said.
“It’s long overdue, so somebody’s got to start it,” she said. “And if the people of Calgary have to start it and are motivated behind Parker, then that’s what we’ll do.”
MacNeil said Calgary police indicated to the province that “it may not be a true Amber Alert, but we need to reach as many Calgarians as we can in such a short amount of time.”
“The government stepped up right away, made that exception and we were able to get that alert out,” he said.
In a statement to CBC News, the provincial government said it “worked closely with CPS to assess the situation and determined that this measure to increase the public’s awareness of this missing child in these extremely particular circumstances was important.”
Read the full article here