CANADA Canada - Ariel Jeffrey Kouakou, 10, Montreal, 12 March 2018

[otto]

So if you saw a sad child alone in the park you would not check? And you would discourage your own child from reaching out to anyone...even if they (the child) were in need?

For all we know the witness was some elderly woman walking her lapdogs who mentioned the sighting to an adult child, and that person reported it to police. Furthermore, if the witness has been publicly accused as being responsible for the lost child, all the more reason for her to be fearful of reporting the sighting.

A child alone at a park near a river in the Winter should be everyone's responsibility - not to the extent of calling police, but to at least ask the child if everything is all right.

 

[Phei]

Confused. Explain?

"Hello" is probably the extent of the conversation the woman at the park had with the child. The child would have stood out because of his yellow shoes, and that's quite possibly the only reason she recalled him. What difference does it really make? Police have released information that the child was at the park at 2PM. Beyond that, it doesn't really matter who provided the information.

She didn't just say hello, she knew his friend was not at home and he was sad about it so they had an actual conversation. It's not just that though, it's the way she came forward about it. It does matter who provided the information, wtf.

 

[otto]

She didn't just say hello, she knew his friend was not at home and he was sad about it so they had an actual conversation. It's not just that though, it's the way she came forward about it. It does matter who provided the information, wtf.

Good ~ so she noticed that something was amiss and spoke to him. That sounds completely normal. Thank goodness someone cared enough about a lone child to speak with the child, and to ensure that the information was reported to police.

 

[Phei]

Good ~ so she noticed that something was amiss and spoke to him. That sounds completely normal. Thank goodness someone cared enough about a lone child to speak with the child, and to ensure that the information was reported to police.

She didn't report it that's the thing. The 3rd party contacted the police and the police then asked her through the news to come forth. If you're going to speak to a child and start a conversation with him because you're worried, in the middle of the day, in the middle of winter, around a forested park area with no one around, and the kid looks sad, you accompany him back home or contact the police. You don't just leave him there.

 

[CuriousinNY]

Regarding the soccer ball, the only mention I have seen is from the friends mother. Due to the potential language barrier, could she possibly have meant that he was always carrying a soccer ball. Just reminiscing about happier times?!

 

[Phei]

Regarding the soccer ball, the only mention I have seen is from the friends mother. Due to the potential language barrier, could she possibly have meant that he was always carrying a soccer ball. Just reminiscing about happier times?!

No the friend's mother specifically said the neighbor (pointing over there) saw Ariel with a soccer ball. Could have been a community soccer ball that belonged to the building or something. Would be nice to know if the lady at the park saw him with it though.

 

[dotr]

https://globalnews.ca/news/4090166/...-boy-as-police-set-to-widen-search-perimeter/

On Sunday, Montreal police spokesperson Andrée-Anne Picard said officers will complete their door-to-door and backyard searches within a 400-metre radius where Ariel was last seen, and afterwards they plan on widening their perimeter.

“Our priority today is to complete this door-to-door, and if we have time today or in the next day, we’re going to enlarge the perimeter of the search,” she said.

Police say to date they have received around 240 tips, but so far none have helped move the investigation forward.

 

[GinaSeikwa]

She didn't report it that's the thing. The 3rd party contacted the police and the police then asked her through the news to come forth. If you're going to speak to a child and start a conversation with him because you're worried, in the middle of the day, in the middle of winter, around a forested park area with no one around, and the kid looks sad, you accompany him back home or contact the police. You don't just leave him there.

Exactly. It was widely broadcast in the media that they were appealing for this witness to contact them. Which to me is odd. I’m certainly not accusing her of anything nefarious nor have I ever done so but it’s a strange detail that stood out at the time. The fact that the witness didn’t readily come forward despite the Amber alert and that the third party presumably couldn’t identify her to the police is IMO strange yes.
But the father has been speaking directly to the immediate community and making references to not be afraid to come forward, not be afraid of the police etc. could mean that there is an undercurrent of distrust in the neighbourhood.

 

[eucalyptuz]

I am imagining a very normal conversation that started with concern but maybe that concern was alleviated by the exchange. ie:
“Hey, you look sad, are you OK?”
“Yes, I’m OK...I’m just sad because my friend is not home and we were going to play”
“Oh, well maybe they just had to pop out and they’ll be back soon...Do you want me to walk with you to check?”
“No it’s OK...I know the way well...it’s just across the road there...I’ll be fine...Thanks...”
Of course, it’s also possible that Ariel, was aware of stranger-danger and just responded politely and walked off fast to end the interaction. The point is we don’t know. For me, I’m laying no responsibility at the feet of the witness without any details or evidence of any kind of negligence...

 

[otto]

Exactly. It was widely broadcast in the media that they were appealing for this witness to contact them. Which to me is odd. I’m certainly not accusing her of anything nefarious nor have I ever done so but it’s a strange detail that stood out at the time. The fact that the witness didn’t readily come forward despite the Amber alert and that the third party presumably couldn’t identify her to the police is IMO strange yes.
But the father has been speaking directly to the immediate community and making references to not be afraid to come forward, not be afraid of the police etc. could mean that there is an undercurrent of distrust in the neighbourhood.

The fact that the one witness who came forward has been criticized is ample reason for others to decide to stay out of it.

 

[juli99]

Exactly. It was widely broadcast in the media that they were appealing for this witness to contact them. Which to me is odd. I’m certainly not accusing her of anything nefarious nor have I ever done so but it’s a strange detail that stood out at the time. The fact that the witness didn’t readily come forward despite the Amber alert and that the third party presumably couldn’t identify her to the police is IMO strange yes.
But the father has been speaking directly to the immediate community and making references to not be afraid to come forward, not be afraid of the police etc. could mean that there is an undercurrent of distrust in the neighbourhood.

I assumed the third party did not know who the woman was. For example, after seeing Ariel maybe the woman went into a store and told the story about the boy to a cashier.

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[matou]

Ariel Jeffrey Kouakou: Reward raised as boxer Adonis Stevenson donates $15,000 https://t.co/IZ5BqthoCQ https://t.co/bBui7ALYOn

 

[Phei]

The fact that the one witness who came forward has been criticized is ample reason for others to decide to stay out of it.

Would also be nice to be able to discuss with others, who are actually aware of the facts, freely without being called "nutty". Otherwise this whole post will be just a series of people posting news links.

 

[otto]

Would also be nice to be able to discuss with others, who are actually aware of the facts, freely without being called "nutty". Otherwise this whole post will be just a series of people posting news links.

I'm so sorry. I had no idea that anyone here had suggested that the woman who provided a witness statement to police (regardless of who she spoke to in the interim) should be viewed as a suspect, or as suspicious.

There is a missing child so all information, regardless of source, is valuable. Because of this witness we know that the child was in an area where he should not have been: the river. I view this as extremely valuable information simply because it is not uncommon for unattended children who are near dangerous waterways to drown.

The father has said that his son both would, and would not, go near the river. I interpret that as saying that his son would go near the river, but the father does not want to believe that his son may have had a tragic accident while near the river. The father clearly wants to believe that his son has been abducted, as that provides a possibility that he is still alive.

 

[Chelseab]

Reading on social media a coat has been found near the river that matches the boy’s. No MSM link to confirm yet so may not be true.

 

[Tssiemer]

Gaaaaaah


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[GinaSeikwa]

Yep just saw that. On Broadcastify apparently. Do we have a Montreal scanner link downstairs?

 

[Phei]

I'm so sorry. I had no idea that anyone here had suggested that the woman who provided a witness statement to police (regardless of who she spoke to in the interim) should be viewed as a suspect, or as suspicious.

There is a missing child so all information, regardless of source, is valuable. Because of this witness we know that the child was in an area where he should not have been: the river. I view this as extremely valuable information simply because it is not uncommon for unattended children who are near dangerous waterways to drown.

The father has said that his son both would, and would not, go near the river. I interpret that as saying that his son would go near the river, but the father does not want to believe that his son may have had a tragic accident while near the river. The father clearly wants to believe that his son has been abducted, as that provides a possibility that he is still alive.

I don't recall the father saying Ariel would go close to the water, he very clearly stated that he would never go near the water, that he knows his son, that if they had the habit of going near the water that maybe he would but they never did.

 

[otto]

I don't recall the father saying Ariel would go close to the water, he very clearly stated that he would never go near the water, that he knows his son, that if they had the habit of going near the water that maybe he would but they never did.

Ariel did not say that he was going near the water, he did say he had an invitation to visit a friend who was not at home.

"Kouakou said he didn't believe Ariel would go near the river.

"We never went near the water — I know my son," he said.

"Maybe he would have gone near the water if it was something we usually did. He is a soccer kid. He would go see his friend to play soccer. He was going to see his friend, and when he left home, he did not say he was going near the water."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/montreal-police-search-10-year-old-boy-missing-1.4575490

 

[matou]

Yep just saw that. On Broadcastify apparently. Do we have a Montreal scanner link downstairs?

Any other source? FB or twitter?