Dylan Ehler's family offers $10K for return of missing Truro boy

The parents of a missing Truro, N.S., boy are now offering a $10,000 reward to anyone who returns their son safe.

Three–year–old Dylan Ehler was playing in his grandmother's yard when he disappeared on May 6.

It was largely believed he fell in nearby Lepper Brook, which flows into Salmon River, but the family hasn't ruled out the possibility he was kidnapped.

Search and rescue teams spent days searching the water, where they found the boy's boots. They have found no trace of him since.

"They focused all their time on the water and they should have focused on both ways," said Jason Ehler, Dylan's father.

"The boots don't make sense. They couldn't find them through the day but they could find them in the nighttime. It just seems like someone might have thrown them in."

Truro Police Chief Dave MacNeil said last month that investigators did not believe there was any foul play in Dylan's disappearance.

Dylan's mother, Ashley Brown, said they're desperate for answers.

"There's a lot going on and there's nothing going on," she said. "It's a complete nightmare. It's excruciating."

While the active search was called off on May 12, the family and members of the community have continued to look on their own.

The family is using donations made through a GoFundMe account to establish the reward.

"Thank you isn't enough," Brown said to everyone who has contributed. "We appreciate every prayer. We appreciate every little bit of help we can get."

The family created a contract with the help of legal advice and Truro Police, outlining the conditions of the reward. They're offering $10,000 for Dylan's safe and live return, or $1,000 to anyone who leads them to their son.

The offer has an expiry date of July 15.

"It expires because we want immediate results. We don't want somebody to have the opportunity to take their time. We want a sense of urgency with the reward."