Calgary police say the body of a small child believed to be Parker was found Wednesday in a pipe east of Deerfoot Trail, bringing the 13-day search to an end.
“It is with profound sadness that I can confirm that we have found the body of a small child, which we believe to be Parker,” Calgary police Chief Katie McLellan said.
Police said the child’s identity had not yet been formally confirmed.
Parker, 11, had been missing since July 16. Police said his last confirmed CCTV sighting was at 12:52 p.m. that day in the 5500 block of Travis Crescent N.E.
Sgt. Rich Wall, the police search manager, said the remains were located at about 2:30 p.m.
During the first 12 days of the search, more than 650 Calgary police members participated, while searchers covered more than 8,600 kilometres and dedicated more than 5,500 hours to the operation.
Specialized search teams from the Calgary Fire Department located the body, police said.
Police said that, if the body is confirmed to be Parker’s, investigators believe he entered a deep culvert in a green space on the west side of Deerfoot Trail.
Investigators believe he travelled into a network of pipes crossing beneath the roadway.
The remains were found in a small pipe on the east side of Deerfoot Trail, approximately 450 to 500 feet inside the pipe network.
Wall estimated the distance from Parker’s last known location on Travis Crescent to where the remains were found at more than one kilometre.
He said the route appears to have taken Parker through an area with few people and no cameras.
Public tip redirected search
Police received a tip Tuesday, July 28, from a member of the public who had located evidence consistent with the clothing Parker was last known to be wearing.
Insp. Lee Wayne of the Major Crimes Section said the person had been searching for Parker almost every day.
Wayne thanked the person for keeping the information confidential while police worked the tip, saying that helped protect Parker’s family.
Police dogs were deployed Wednesday and indicated in an area that directed search teams farther east along the creek.
Investigators then located additional evidence that led them into the pipe network with help from Calgary Fire Department aquatic rescue teams.
Police said the surrounding land and creek had previously been searched, including with canine units.
No evidence had been found during those earlier searches that suggested a more thorough search of the area was required, police said.
The tip changed the scope of the search and led police to an area requiring specialized technical assistance.
Police described the pipe system as a labyrinth.
The concrete pipe Parker is believed to have entered is approximately four feet in diameter.
It connects with multiple pipes that branch in different directions and narrow to between two and three feet.
Wall said the system could not have been searched by someone simply looking into the culvert entrance.
Fire crews required specialized equipment to enter because of the unsafe conditions.
The aquatic rescue team encountered a buildup of gas inside the network, prompting crews to continue searching from the east side of Deerfoot Trail, Wall said.
Police believe shoes washed from culvert
McLellan said police believe Parker entered the pipe system wearing all the clothing he had on when he was last seen.
His shoes likely came off at some point and later washed out of the culvert, she said.
Police said the green space contains harsh terrain and forms part of a water environment.
Environmental conditions can affect what can be observed and when evidence becomes visible during searches involving water, police said.
Search operations can also be influenced by terrain, vegetation, weather, visibility and the information available to investigators at the time.
No evidence of criminality, police say
Police said there is currently no evidence that criminality was involved in Parker’s disappearance.
Wayne said investigators considered the possibility of foul play from the outset.
He said that each time Parker was seen, he was alone and walking freely, with no indication anyone was following him.
Wayne said police currently believe the case involved misadventure and no criminality, but remain open to other information.
The culvert area is now under the control of the chief medical examiner’s office, Wayne said.
Police will follow death-investigation protocols while awaiting findings on the cause of death, he said.
The investigation remains ongoing as police work to answer remaining questions for Parker’s family.
Family notified before announcement
McLellan said Parker’s family had remained at the centre of every decision made during the investigation.
“While today’s news brings an end to the search for Parker, our responsibility to his family does not end here,” she said.
Family liaison officers maintained regular contact with Parker’s family throughout the search, Wayne said.
Police spoke with the family in advance of Wednesday’s news conference, and liaison officers contacted extended relatives before the announcement, he said.
“Behind every search map, every briefing, every tip and every hour spent looking was a little boy who was deeply loved by his family,” McLellan said.
McLellan thanked the thousands of people who searched, shared information, checked properties, put up posters and followed police updates during the search.
McLellan said that in her 35 years with the Calgary Police Service, she had never seen such dedicated, extensive and sustained search efforts.
Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas also offered condolences Wednesday.
“I am heartbroken by today’s devastating news,” Farkas wrote in a social media post. “On behalf of the people of Calgary, I extend my deepest condolences to Parker’s family, friends, loved ones, classmates, and everyone whose lives were touched by this unimaginable loss.”
Farkas thanked Calgary police, firefighters, search-and-rescue teams, partner agencies, volunteers and residents who assisted with the search. He also asked Calgarians to respect the family’s privacy.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith also offered condolences in a social media post Wednesday.
“My deepest and most heartfelt condolences go out to Parker’s family and loved ones,” Smith wrote. “There is no greater heartbreak than the loss of a child, and I hope they are able to find moments of peace and strength during this unimaginable time.”
Smith also thanked Calgary police, Search and Rescue and the agencies involved in the search, along with Calgarians who volunteered, put up posters and shared information.
Police said details about how and where the child was found were released with the family’s permission because of the extensive public effort to find Parker.
Parker’s family has asked for privacy as they grieve.
Community members seeking support can contact the Calgary Police Service Victim Assistance Support Team at 403-428-8398 or toll-free at 1-888-327-7828.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Calgary police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.