Calgary police are searching for a missing 11-year-old boy, Parker, and are asking people in northwest Calgary to check their yards and sheds now. If you see him, his family is asking that you do not approach him.
Parker was last seen at his day home in the 0 to 100 block of Connaught Drive N.W., in Cambrian Heights, sometime between 11:08 and 11:41 a.m. on Thursday, July 16. He has now been missing since late morning, and as the day has gone on, Calgary police have issued a second, expanded appeal for the public's help.
Around noon, clothing believed to be his was found nearby, at 48 Northmount Drive N.W.
Parker is autistic and nonverbal. His family, who reached out to Culture Media with additional details, say he is likely frightened and may be reactive, and that both police and his loved ones are deeply concerned for his safety.
Why police are asking you to search, not just watch
There's a reason the request is to physically check your property rather than just keep an eye out.
Parker is nonverbal and was last seen wearing black noise-cancelling headphones, which means he will not answer if you call his name, and may not hear you approaching at all. He might be close by, in a quiet spot, and give no sign of it.
It also helps to understand how autistic children tend to behave when they wander, because it tells you where to look. Many are drawn to water, and many seek out small, enclosed, quiet places, under decks, inside sheds, behind bushes, in tucked-away corners, spaces that feel safe and contained rather than open. That's exactly why police are asking residents in and around Cambrian Heights not just to glance around, but to physically check: back yards, unlocked sheds, and any other place a child might go to shelter or hide.
If you live in the area, walking your own property and checking those quiet, enclosed spots is the single most useful thing you can do right now.
What Parker looks like
11 years old
4'11" tall, roughly 90 pounds
Brown hair, brown eyes
Last seen shirtless, in grey shorts, black Skechers, and black noise-cancelling headphones
If you see him: keep your distance
This is the most important thing his family wants people to know.
If you see Parker, do not approach him. Because he is autistic, nonverbal, and likely frightened, being approached by a stranger could cause him to panic and run, possibly somewhere less safe.
Instead, keep him in sight from a distance. Follow him quietly if he moves, and call police right away so officers can come and make contact. If he appears to be in immediate danger, call 911.
How to help if you're not in Cambrian Heights
Even if you're across the city, there are useful things you can do.
Share the alert, with his photo and description, to local Calgary groups and your own networks. The more people who know what he looks like, the better. Police have asked people not to organize formal search parties, since officers are actively searching the area, but Parker's family says they'd be grateful if people simply took a walk around their own neighbourhood and kept an eye out.
And if you were in the Cambrian Heights or Northmount Drive area around midday and saw anything, a child on his own, or someone matching his description, call the non-emergency line even if it feels minor. Small details help investigators piece together where he went.
If you see him or know anything
Call the Calgary Police Service non-emergency line at 403-266-1234. You can also reach the Missing Children's Society of Canada at 1-800-661-6160. Reference Case #CA26318270.
If you see Parker and believe he's in immediate danger, call 911.
About the alert
Police say there's nothing to indicate foul play. The case doesn't meet the threshold for an Amber Alert, but with Parker missing since late morning, CPS is working with the Missing Children's Society of Canada to issue an alert in the hope of finding him quickly. Investigators put out a first appeal earlier in the day, then a second, expanded one with more detail as the search continued into the afternoon.
We'll update this story the moment Parker is found.
