Where is he?

I can’t stop thinking about the case of Chinyere, the missing local boy. I’m confused about the response from authorities. I can’t understand why they seem to care so little about him. The police put out one press release about Chinyere, and the media completely ignored it. Why?  

The law says Chinyere is a child. He’s under 18. The police press release says, “missing youth.” When you say youth, it’s much easier to ignore. And ignore is what the media did. I even sent them a second notice with links to the community response for Chinyere, the police press release, and my previous story.  Not one of this city’s media outlets responded.

In Canada, there’s nothing you can do if your 16-year-old decides to leave home. There’s nothing illegal about it. Our legal system says we have a right to leave home when we turn 16. Yet we must be enrolled in school until 18, and police can detain a 16-year-old and bring them back home.

It’s confusing.

In Chinyere’s case, he didn’t tell his mom he was leaving. He just disappeared. “On August 26, my worst nightmare happened,” says his mom, Coreen. “My 16-year-old son, Chinyere went missing without a trace.” So why didn’t the police issue an amber alert? According to police policy, to issue an amber alert, the police must have evidence that he was abducted and that his life is in danger. No amber alert was issued.

The law, in its wisdom, allows kids to leave home at a young age. Go be free and broke on the streets at 16. And the media ignores a mother’s plea to have her child returned to her. But they gladly put a 15-year-old’s crimes in headline news.

If Chinyere ever doubted how cold our society is, he doesn’t need to doubt anymore. His life matters only a little. As little as a single, ignored, police press release.