The RCMP says it is switching its focus to the water in the search for a missing five-year-old Saskatchewan boy from the Red Earth Cree Nation.
Insp. Murray Chamberlin says about 90 square kilometres – including the community of Red Earth Cree Nation and surrounding area – have been searched for Frank Young.
“Search areas were decided upon based on the probability of how far a five-year-old could travel,” Mr. Chamberlin told a news conference Wednesday. “Those areas have been thoroughly searched at this point in time and they continue to be researched and covered again.”
The boy was last seen by his family around noon on April 19 on the Red Earth reserve, about 220 kilometres northeast of Prince Albert, Sask. A witness reported a sighting at a playground several hours later in the community’s north end.
“Now that we have extensively searched the community and the area around it, and given that the ice on the Carrot River has now broken up, we will focus on the water,” said Mr. Chamberlin.
“Over the next few days, the Saskatchewan RCMP will be using boats and other methods to search the Carrot River for any sign of Frank.”
Mr. Chamberlin said ground searches continue to be hampered by melting snow.
“They were trying to use ATVs, which were getting stuck. Even searchers on foot … they’re wet. It’s hard going. The spring runoff and melt [have] definitely complicated things.”
Mr. Chamberlin said at this point there’s no timeline on how much longer the search will continue.
“Every search is unique. It has to be continually assessed,” he said.
“We’ll search until we’re confident we’ve exhausted every investigative opportunity.”
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