I saw a missing person poster at the corner of Dufferin and St. Clair. I was in my car waiting for the light to turn green, so I only caught a glimpse of the photo. Looked like a young man, not a small child, so I thought, not my problem, don’t get involved.
Plus, how does a grown man go missing? Probably doesn’t want to be found. I didn’t like my immediate dismissal, so I decided to look for the missing person poster.
After a long walk along Eglinton and then down Dufferin, I realized it was mostly posted on St. Clair West. Finding the poster at the corner of Dufferin and St. Clair, I could see the missing person was a boy. A baby-faced, 16-year-old boy. And a big boy: 5’9” and 200 lbs. But still, a boy: Chinyere Matthews-Cranston.
He was last seen on August 26 in the Weston Road and Denison area. His post is still on police websites, so I called the police to check on his status. Has he been found yet? They don’t give out that information. So, I went to our local residents Facebook pages.
Resident Facebook groups trade a lot in used goods and such, it’s true. But they’re also the eyes and ears on our streets.
Sure enough, people on Facebook were mobilizing for Chinyere. The poster I saw at the corner of Dufferin and St.Clair West was part of local poster blitz on Sep.8, organized via the Caledonia/McRoberts and Area Residents Group. Organizer, Nila Gupta, provided more information about Chinyere. Turns out he has local roots.
“Former FH Miller P.S. graduate. This is a boy we know from our daughter’s elementary school days. Nicest most helpful kid. A good friend and classmate,” writes Gupta. “He was on his high school’s student council in gr 9 and is a straight A student… I spoke to his mom who is beside herself. They believe he was taken/lured. This is not a case of a young person struggling with mental health.
“Please post this across Canada. He is a sweet, smart, funny boy with a kind heart who always let his mom know where he was and returned home on time each day when she asked.”
My initial reaction to leave this alone was wrong. Whether it had been a woman, a man, or this local boy, a missing person poster is a desperate cry for help. Chinyere’s mother and his brother want him back.
So, in the name of everything we value, I share this missing person notice. Let’s find our humanity. And find Chinyere.
There is also a go fundme set up to help the mother with expenses.
https://gofund.me/39b11c77
A gofundme has been set up to raise money for a reward and expenses. Please help if you can.
Thank you for sharing. I hope he is found asap.
This is a touching story .we r all working together as a team .to put up enough support of flyers .in unknown community so that everyone can see and share the news that we have lost a son .and another angel. Please mom waiting for u back home .but the time is running out out
This was a classmate of mine at the school mentioned when i heard this story i was worried for a while but as it seems he has been located