The OPP says few signs of Kaden Young have been discovered by searchers as the tireless effort to find the missing toddler lost to the Grand River reaches its 45th day.
While several items that were inside the van that night he was swept into the raging waters have been recovered, Dufferin OPP Const. Paul Nancekivell had little to report when asked whether any of the clothing Kaden was reportedly wearing at the time have been found.
“Not to my knowledge, that anything has been located,” Nancekivell said, reiterating that details about what the child was wearing that night are being withheld from the public as part of the OPP’s ongoing investigation.
“What we’ve got is items that were in the van that the child and mother weren’t wearing. In the first week or so, they were finding a lot,” Nancekivell said. “We don’t want to discourage (searchers) but there has been a lot of stuff located that isn’t his stuff and isn’t from the van.”
Kaden is still unaccounted for after he was pulled from his mother’s arms and swept into the Grand River near Waldemar in the early hours of Feb. 21.
Police report Kaden’s mother, who was rescued by emergency responders near Dufferin County Road 109, drove past a road closure sign marked by orange pylons.
Her minivan was swept into the fast-moving river and deep water. Police say she managed to free herself and Kaden from the vehicle, but the water wrenched the boy from her arms.
Despite the effort of thousands of civilian searchers in the last six weeks, Nancekivell said few signs of Kaden have been found. With Friday, April 6, marking day 45 in the search, volunteers continue to scour the banks of the Grand River and the OPP plans to bring its dive team in once the weather co-operates.
“We haven’t given up. We haven’t stopped searching. We still have specialty units there and we have units ready to go back,” Nancekivell said, noting an OPP helicopter flew above the area to scout the river conditions on Tuesday afternoon, April 3.
“They were re-evaluating the ice conditions and videotaping it so the dive unit can know how things have changed. It is not a question that we’re not going. It is a question of when we get in there,” he added. “It is just that we need the proper conditions to align themselves so we can get back in there.”
In the meantime, civilian searchers meeting at the family’s home (9 Mill St., Amaranth) continue to be sent out each morning at 9 a.m., depending on river and weather conditions. Organizers leading the effort have said the number of volunteers needed will increase substantially as the search enters Belwood Lake.
“There is still ice in certain areas, particularly down by the Belwood Lake area, around the bridge and the Shand dam, there is still ice floe there,” Nancekivell said, estimating the OPP’s dive team could return within the next two weeks.
“We’re at the mercy of Mother Nature,” he added. “As soon as things start warming up, and we start to get more seasonably spring weather, we’re hoping that stuff will melt fairly quickly and we can get in there again.”
The OPP’s investigation into the incident is ongoing. Nancekivell said any tips received by police are being forwarded onto the OPP’s crime unit, which is co-ordinating the investigation.
“They are the one-half of the investigation. I’m kind of the other half in terms of keeping the public updated as to what we’re doing resource-wise,” he said. “Once he is found, there are different things that have to be tied up in terms of concluding the investigation.”
For more information about volunteering in the civilian-led search, email bringkadenhome@gmail.com or visit the Bring Kaden Young Home to his Family page on Facebook.
https://www.orangeville.com/news-story/8377493-45-days-later-opp-says-search-for-kaden-young-has-uncovered-few-signs-of-missing-toddler/
