Toronto police share updated photo, new website in search for missing teen girl

Toronto police have released an updated photo and a new website as part of their search efforts for a teen girl who has been missing for eight days.

Police say 14-year-old Esther was last seen in the area of Bathurst Street and Hotspur Road just after midnight on May 16, and they are concerned for her safety.

Police say Esther has been diagnosed as being on the spectrum, and have previously said she was last seen in the Earl Bales Park area on May 15.

Last week, police upgraded their search to a Level 1 operation, which is the highest level, and while they have not provided details on what prompted the upgrade, they say that out of nearly 3,100 missing person reports last year, only five were Level 1 searches.

Toronto police say Esther is described as white, five feet two inches tall with medium build and brown hair, and she was last seen wearing grey sweatpants, a turquoise sweater and no shoes.

Police have released an updated image of Esther from May 15, and investigators have set up a dedicated website to collect information on her case and share their tip line, which can be reached at tps.to/findesther.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 24, 2026.

The Canadian Press