3rd teen from Laval group home goes missing
Police believe 16-year-old ran away from Centre Jeunesse de Laval
Latest
- The girls reported missing in this story have been found.
- CBC is no longer identifying the teen now that she's been found, as she is in youth protection.
Laval police are requesting the public's assistance to locate a 16-year-old girl who is believed to have run away from the group home where she was staying.
The teen was a resident at the Centre Jeunesse de Laval, the same group home at which two other girls who went missing this week were also staying.
Laval major crimes Insp. Alain Meilleur said there is evidence the teens may have been targeted for sexual exploitation.
"A network has infiltrated this particular group home," said Lucie Charlebois, the Quebec minister responsible for youth protection.
Police are working to bring the two girls home, added Charlebois.
"We're working together to find the best way to intervene."
Worried for her daughter's safety
The mother of this latest teen to disappear also said she fears her daughter may have been recruited by a prostitution ring. She said her daughter has previously been involved with pimps and gangs.
"[She's a] very pretty girl, very smart," the mother said. "I'm not sure how she could get involved in this.
"They are going to mess up my daughter."
Police say one of the other two missing girls was located in good health Wednesday evening.
But they are still looking for another 16-year-old girl.
The girl was visiting her parents' home when her father says she ran away. Her father said she'd been in contact with people who had bought her clothes and drinks.
"It's heart-wrenching because I know that these people only want to do harm to my daughter," he said.
"Me as a parent, my job is to protect my children and I failed."
It's unclear if the three girls knew each other.
Online conversations with alleged street gang recruiter
The girl who was found Wednesday disappeared on Monday, Feb. 1, from the group home, where she'd been living for the past few weeks.
Her mother said she tracked down online conversations between her daughter and an alleged street gang recruiter.
She also said she had reason to fear the teenager may have joined a gang or a prostitution ring in Ontario.
Despite warning her of the risks, the mother said the prospect of making quick money encouraged her daughter to stay in contact with the alleged recruiter.
The girl took advantage of an outdoor activity to run away from the youth centre.
Police would not say where the girl was, or whom she was with, when they found her.