Man charged after 6 children missing from Calgary found in Bowmanville
Kate McGillivray | CBC News | Posted: October 27, 2016 1:30 PM | Last Updated: October 27, 2016
Durham police officer happened upon the suspect's SUV in a parking lot
Six children who were reported missing in Calgary were found in Bowmanville, Ont., on Wednesday evening by a Durham regional police officer.
The officer discovered the children after approaching a green SUV with an Alberta licence plate in the area of Waverly and Baseline roads.
"[It was] very alert of him, actually. He came across the vehicle in a parking lot and thought it was a bit suspicious, and the plate came back to a parental abduction investigation," said Durham police Sgt. Bill Calder.
The children were reported missing on Monday, said the Calgary Police Service. It received a report from a woman who believed her common-law partner had left the province with her six children.
Calgary police said the case did not meet the criteria for an Amber Alert.
Calder said a 49-year-old man from Calgary was arrested on a Canada-wide warrant and is being held for a bail hearing.
Children in good condition
Calgary police said in a news conference that the man had been charged with six counts of child abduction.
"I can't confirm that he is the father of the children," said Calgary police Sgt. Darren Smith. "I can only confirm that he is not their legal guardian," later adding that the man had been taking care of the children in Calgary while their mother was away.
Police said that the man had been in touch with one of their partner organizations by email after leaving Calgary, reducing concern about the children's safety.
His name is not being released to protect the identity of the six children.
"Our role now is to bring him before our court for a bail hearing to address which methods we will use to bring him back [to Alberta]," Smith said.
Police worked with the Durham Children's Aid Society to bring the children, who range in age from 18 months to 11 years, to a safe location.
The children are in good condition, Calder said.