Nine-year-old Cecilia Zhang (Toronto Police Service)
A nine-year-old girl went missing from the bedroom of her Toronto area home sometime overnight Sunday, and police suspect she has been abducted.
They issued a provincewide Amber Alert on Monday in an effort locate the girl, identified as Cecilia Zhang, a Grade 4 pupil at Seneca Public High School. She disappeared in the area of Don Mills Road and Finch Avenue East in Toronto.
Police say the girl's parents last saw her when she went to bed on Sunday night. They did not notice she was gone until 8:30 a.m. Monday.
"Sometime during the night, this nine-year-old girl disappeared from her home," Sergeant Jim Muscat, told an afternoon news conference in the girl's neighbourhood.
"Our investigators believe that this was an abduction. We're very, very concerned for her safety," he said.
There were reports that a window in the home was broken and some media outlets said they had pictures of a broken screen, but Sgt. Muscat would not confirm those details.
About 40 officers canvassed the neighbourhood in a door-to-door search. Other officers conducted a canine search.
Police issued the Amber Alert around 1 p.m.Under the system, bulletins about children suspected to have been abducted, and their possible abductors are distributed quickly through radio and television broadcasts and electronic highway signs.
Cecilia is described as 4 feet 11 inches, 70 pounds with a thin build and shoulder length black hair with blond highlights. She has brown eyes.
Police do not have a description of her clothing.
Anyone with Information is asked to contact 33 Division at (416)808-3300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS(8477)
Toronto Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for information that results in the safe return of the girl.The Amber Alert program was begun in Arlington, Tex., after the 1996 abduction and killing of Amber Hagerman, 9. Amber Alerts are used when it is clear a child has been abducted and there is a strong suspicion that the child's life is in danger.
With reports from Canadian Press
