A three-year-old girl was found wandering alone on a highway in Ontario, Canada, nearly 100 miles from her Montreal home, after a four-day search. The child, Claire Bell, was reported missing by her mother, Rachel Todd, who was later arrested and charged with child abandonment.
Bell was last seen on Sunday morning, exiting her apartment building in Montreal’s La Salle region with her mother and pet chihuahua. Todd reported her daughter missing later that day in Coteau-du-Lac, approximately 60 miles from their home.
Following the missing report, a large-scale search was launched across Quebec and Ontario. Hundreds of police officers and civilians participated in the search for the missing toddler.
Bell was eventually found on the side of Highway 417 in Ontario. The discovery was made after a drone search was initiated based on a tip from a witness. A chihuahua, matching the description of Bell’s pet, was found deceased near the location where Todd reported her daughter missing.
Police are now seeking a key witness who may have crucial information about the events that transpired between Bell’s last sighting and her mother’s missing report. The witness is described as a bilingual woman, fluent in English and French, who resides on a farm either in the Montérégie region or in Ontario. She reportedly met Todd on the day Bell was last seen.
Following her arrest, Todd, 34, was charged with child abandonment. Investigators examining Todd’s phone found disturbing online searches, including inquiries about children’s urns and funeral arrangements.
A police source involved in the case expressed concern about the findings, stating, “This story really, really doesn’t look good.” Todd’s court proceedings have been postponed until Friday.