Lesley is nine. George is six.
They haven't been seen in more than a month.
Now Edmonton police are looking for their father on Canada-wide warrants.
Scot MacDermid, 42, and his children Lesley, 9, and George, 6. (Edmonton Police Service)
Scot MacDermid, 42, is wanted on two counts of abduction in contravention of a custody order involving his children, Lesley, 9, and George, 6.
The warrants were issued on Sept. 23. Edmonton police announced them Wednesday.
The allegations haven't been proven in court.
What Scot, Lesley and George look like
Scot MacDermid, 42, is 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs about 160 pounds. He has brown hair and blue eyes.
Lesley, 9, is 4 feet 4 inches tall and weighs about 45 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes.
George, 6, is 4 feet 2 inches tall and weighs about 45 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes.
Where they were last seen
MacDermid and the children were last seen in Edmonton on Friday, Aug. 28, at Manning Town Centre, near 155 Avenue and 37 Street.
Later that day, at about 6:30 p.m., the three were seen in Lloydminster with another man.
Police released images of that man and asked the public to help identify him. He was identified by Sept. 21, and police have since spoken with him.
We reported on the Lloydminster sighting earlier this month.
Police don't know where MacDermid and the children went after Lloydminster. Investigators have said they may have been seen in Saskatchewan or Manitoba.
There's been no publicly confirmed sighting of the children since.
How the case changed
When police first went public on Sept. 8, MacDermid and the children were being treated as missing.
EPS said MacDermid was unreachable and that none of them had been seen or heard from since Aug. 28. Police said they were concerned for their welfare.
The next major development was the Lloydminster sighting. Police didn't know at first who the man seen with the family was. He has since been identified and interviewed.
Then, on Sept. 23, Canada-wide warrants were issued for MacDermid on two counts of abduction in contravention of a custody order.
Police haven't released details of the custody order or explained what evidence led investigators to seek the warrants.
What the Canada-wide warrants change
This is no longer just a missing persons case.
MacDermid is now wanted on Canada-wide warrants, meaning police are seeking his arrest anywhere in the country on the two alleged offences.
That matters here. The family's last known location was Lloydminster, on the Alberta-Saskatchewan border, and police have said they may have been seen in Saskatchewan or Manitoba since.
The warrants don't change MacDermid's legal status as an accused person. The allegations still have to be proven in court.
Why there isn't an Amber Alert
Police haven't issued an Amber Alert.
EPS says investigators assessed the evidence and determined the case hasn't met the criteria for an Amber Alert at this time.
"An AMBER Alert is one tool available to police, but it is not the investigation itself," said Staff Sgt. Robert Davis of the EPS Child Protection Section. "Finding Lesley and George remains our top priority."
In Alberta, all four criteria have to be met before an Amber Alert goes out:
Police must believe an abduction has happened.
The child must be in danger of serious harm or death.
There must be enough descriptive information for the public to identify the child, the abductor and the vehicle.
Police must believe the alert could help safely recover the child or catch the abductor.
EPS hasn't said which of those it believes isn't met in this case.
If you think you've seen them
Police are asking anyone who has seen Scot, Lesley or George, or knows where they are, to come forward.
If you think you've spotted them, note the location and time and report it to police as soon as you can.
Vehicle details could also help, including the make, model, colour and licence plate.
Don't approach them. EPS asked people not to approach MacDermid or the children in its original appeal.
How to help
Anyone with information about Scot, Lesley or George can call the Edmonton Police Service at 780-423-4567, or #377 from a mobile phone.
To stay anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Sources
Warrants issued for father now wanted for abduction, Edmonton Police Service, September 30, 2026
Police seek to identify unknown man seen with missing father and kids, Edmonton Police Service
Police seek public's assistance locating missing man and children, Edmonton Police Service, September 8, 2026
Emergency alerts, Government of Alberta
Comments
Conversation