The Toronto Police Service Missing Persons Unit (MPU) became operational on July 1, 2018. The MPU is a subsection of Homicide and ensures a consistent process and investigative response for all occurrences of persons missing in Toronto, or on the way to/from the city of Toronto. This includes both newly reported and historic cases of missing persons and unidentified human remains.
The MPU frequently highlights cases involving unsolved missing persons investigations, in this instance, four cases involving missing children that are still open:
- Richard 'Peewee' Marlow, then 9, was last seen on July 18, 1944, riding a bicycle in front of his family home in Etobicoke, then very rural. The bicycle was located later in the evening in front of the house, but he was nowhere to be seen.
He was described as white with blonde hair, blue eyes and a thin build. He was very small for his age and incredibly shy.
His case is featured on Canada's Missing website, which is the website for the National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains.
- Helga Kaserer, then 13, was last seen on December 29, 1960, by her neighbour travelling on foot westbound along Harvard Avenue towards Roncesvalles Avenue.
She came to Canada from Austria in 1956.
She was described as white, 5'1½", 105 lbs., short, curly brown hair, brown eyes and she was wearing a grey and beige checked coat and a dark blue dress with polka dots.
Her case is also featured on Canada's Missing website, which is the website for the National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains.
- Amber Carrie Potts, then 16, was last heard from by her mother on November 26, 1988. She had a history of running away but always maintained contact with her mother. Her belongings were left behind in the hotel she was staying at.
She was described as white, 5'6", 130 lbs., shoulder-length brown curly hair and brown eyes.
Her case is also featured on Canada's Missing website, which is the website for the National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains.
- Nancy Liou, then 15, left her apartment on January 27, 1999, and was never seen again.
She was described as Asian, 5'5", 117 lbs., long black hair, brown eyes, right-handed with a scar on her upper lip (in the corner).
Her case is also featured on Canada's Missing website, which is the website for the National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7411, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, online on our Facebook Leave a Tip page, or text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637). Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes, Google Play or Blackberry App World.
For more information about the Missing Person Unit, click here
The Canadian Centre for Child Protection also has a resource centre on missing children at https://missingkids.ca/en/
For more news, visit TPSnews.ca.
The MPU frequently highlights cases involving unsolved missing persons investigations, in this instance, four cases involving missing children that are still open:
- Richard 'Peewee' Marlow, then 9, was last seen on July 18, 1944, riding a bicycle in front of his family home in Etobicoke, then very rural. The bicycle was located later in the evening in front of the house, but he was nowhere to be seen.
He was described as white with blonde hair, blue eyes and a thin build. He was very small for his age and incredibly shy.
His case is featured on Canada's Missing website, which is the website for the National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains.
- Helga Kaserer, then 13, was last seen on December 29, 1960, by her neighbour travelling on foot westbound along Harvard Avenue towards Roncesvalles Avenue.
She came to Canada from Austria in 1956.
She was described as white, 5'1½", 105 lbs., short, curly brown hair, brown eyes and she was wearing a grey and beige checked coat and a dark blue dress with polka dots.
Her case is also featured on Canada's Missing website, which is the website for the National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains.
- Amber Carrie Potts, then 16, was last heard from by her mother on November 26, 1988. She had a history of running away but always maintained contact with her mother. Her belongings were left behind in the hotel she was staying at.
She was described as white, 5'6", 130 lbs., shoulder-length brown curly hair and brown eyes.
Her case is also featured on Canada's Missing website, which is the website for the National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains.
- Nancy Liou, then 15, left her apartment on January 27, 1999, and was never seen again.
She was described as Asian, 5'5", 117 lbs., long black hair, brown eyes, right-handed with a scar on her upper lip (in the corner).
Her case is also featured on Canada's Missing website, which is the website for the National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7411, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, online on our Facebook Leave a Tip page, or text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637). Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes, Google Play or Blackberry App World.
For more information about the Missing Person Unit, click here
The Canadian Centre for Child Protection also has a resource centre on missing children at https://missingkids.ca/en/
For more news, visit TPSnews.ca.