Toronto Police announced Thursday afternoon that 14-year-old Esther, who vanished on May 16, has been located safe and sound. The Jewish teen was found at a residence in Rexdale, in the northwest corner of the city, according to the Toronto Sun. It is believed she was with an adult male.
A police source stated, "We found her at a house with some guy in Rexdale. He has a house, so we can assume he's an adult." The situation remains "very fluid," the source added, noting that authorities have not yet had an opportunity to interview the man.
Police made the announcement around 2 p.m. Thursday and are expected to provide more details at a press conference in Earl Bales Park at 3 p.m. Esther was last seen in the area of Bathurst Street and Hotspur Road, south of Highway 401 in North York, just after midnight on May 16.
Earlier Thursday, the Toronto Sun reported that detectives believed the teen was still alive. Initially, there were fears that the girl, known by her family as Esti, had fallen into the hands of sex traffickers, but investigators kept "everything on the table."
The disappearance also sparked antisemitic incidents, as posters of the missing girl were torn down across the city. Volunteers had put up posters and helped search, and a $25,000 reward was offered. More information is expected to follow.
