TORONTO — Toronto police say a 14-year-old girl who went missing from the city’s north end nearly two weeks ago has been found safe.Police announced Thursday afternoon that Esther, known to family and friends as Esti, had been located. In a post on social media shortly after 2 p.m., investigators confirmed the teen’s safe return and said additional details would be provided during a media briefing at Earl Bales Park later in the day.Esther was last seen shortly after midnight on May 16 near Bathurst Street and Hotspur Rd. in North York, south of Hwy. 401. Police said she had also been seen about 30 minutes earlier at Earl Bales Park near Bathurst Street and Sheppard Ave. West, travelling in a northeasterly direction.Authorities later reported additional sightings during the investigation but declined to disclose specific locations, citing concerns about compromising the case.Toronto police launched a Level One search operation in response to the disappearance, deploying multiple units and establishing a command post at Earl Bales Park.The case drew significant community attention, with hundreds of volunteers distributing posters throughout Toronto and assisting in search efforts. Community members also established a separate command post near Wilson Avenue and Bathurst Street and offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to Esther’s safe return.Investigators and family members had expressed serious concerns for Esther’s well-being, noting that she is on the autism spectrum....more to come
