Update: Mounties have found remains they believe belong to Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette and the Amber Alert has been called off. More information here.
A 22-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the abduction of a young girl near the B.C. border, but the whereabouts of the toddler is still unknown.
Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette, 2, was taken from a home in the small town of Blairmore, Alta., at around 3:30 a.m. Monday.
But the disappearance wasn’t discovered until officers were called to the residence nearly eight hours later, when someone reported the little girl’s father, 27-year-old Terry Blanchette, was dead.
Her abduction triggered an Amber Alert in Alberta, which was expanded several hours later to include British Columbia, Saskatchewan and south of the border in Montana.
A day after Hailey’s father was found dead, Alberta RCMP announced a man in Blairmore was arrested in connection with the case.
His name is not being released at this time and no charges have been laid.
"To my knowledge that person has been arrested in association (with) both the homicide and the disappearance of Hailey," RCMP Superintendent Tony Hamori said at a news conference.
Hamori said the search to find Hailey had intensified substantially.
“We’re all hoping and praying we’re going to find her safely and we have tremendous resources dedicated in that regard,” he said.
“There will be a lot of effort focused around the suspect arrested today.”
RCMP can’t say if the man arrested has specific ties to any of the areas where the Amber Alert was issued.
“This is unfolding rapidly,” Hamori said.
Mounties in Blairmore were seen searching riverbanks, but Hamori would not say if it’s in relation to the case.
A newer model white van with a large rear antenna and a flag attached was seen speeding from the Blanchette residence after the abduction Monday morning. Police confirmed a white van matching that description was found in the Blairmore area but said it’s too early to determine if it’s the vehicle the toddler was taken away in.
The Amber Alert to find the little girl is still in place for most of Western Canada and one U.S. state, and was renewed at 2 p.m. local time – 24 hours after the initial alert was issued.
The girl’s mother, who lives in Edmonton, has not spoken publically but her posts on Facebook have become more urgent since her disappearance.
She asked whoever had Hailey to drop the girl off a gas station, and added a personal plea: “Please, whoever is doing this, please bring me my baby girl.”
Tips have come in from across the country, including in Metro Vancouver, but none have panned out.
Defending Amber Alert
The initial Amber Alert wasn't issued until hours after Dunbar-Blanchette was discovered missing.
On Tuesday, the force defended the timing, saying it was issued in Alberta “as soon as police could determine if the situation warranted one.”
That alert went out at 2:14 p.m. Monday, three hours and one minute after officers attended the Blairmore home – and after investigators gathered information that the toddler was actually abducted. That alert expanded to neighbouring provinces B.C. and Saskatchewan, as well as Montana at 3:15 p.m. -- an hour and one minute later.
The RCMP said investigators must establish certain criteria before triggering an Amber Alert, and that they also have to ensure the information they put out to the public is accurate.
Authorities expressed concern that the abductor could have travelled great distances because of how long the girl has been missing.
Dunbar-Blanchette is described as a 2-1 tall white girl with brown eyes and light brown hair with bangs.
Alerts have been posted on highway signs and on public transit across B.C. and the other provinces.
Loving dad with criminal history
The little girl’s father, Terry Blanchette, worked as a cook at a local restaurant, and was described as a loving father by the people he worked with.
“Terry was the kindest guy. He loved his daughter,” said Jenness Short-Reed, a neighbour.
“An amazing cook, an amazing man. He loved his little girl, he lived for his little girl and he loved all of us like we were family.”
Blanchette did have a criminal history, with several minor convictions dating back to 2010.
The Canadian Press reported Blanchette was fined $300 for skipping a court appearance in 2010, and pleaded guilty to evading police during an incident in 2012.
Also that year, he was fined for stealing beef jerky from a dollar store and assaulting a man. He was also fined after a theft at a Zellers store.
Another $500 fine was handed to Blanchette in relation to an assault on a man near Calgary.
The Canadian Press reported that after the various offenses in 2012 Blanchette stopped posting about his court dates on Facebook and started talking more about his baby daughter – and posting photos of them together.
Neighbours told CTV News Blanchette was a doting dad that loved his little girl.
“His dad came and took care of her when he at work,” said Angela Mathieson. “He was taking very good care of her. They was always laughter and giggling going over there.”
The mayor of Blairmore said the disappearance has been devastating on their small town.
“We're a very tight knit community and this effects everybody,” said Blair Painter.
Tips on the whereabouts of the little girl can be reported to the Crowsnest Pass RCMP at 403-562-2866 or by dialing 911.
