$25K reward offered in search for missing teen as family speaks out about vandalism of posters

Police say Esther, last seen on May 15, is on the autism spectrum and was last seen near Highway 401.

A $25,000 reward for information leading to the safe return of a missing Toronto teen has been announced, as a representative for her family speaks out against the “deeply disturbing” vandalism of posters highlighting her disappearance.

Esther, who goes by Esti, was last seen on May 16 at 12:01 a.m. near Bathurst Street and Hotspur Road, about two kilometres south of Earl Bales Park where the search began a day earlier.

On Saturday, Toronto police released a new image of Esther and announced the launch of a website dedicated to locating her. The photo is from May 15, but police did not say where it was taken.

The teen, who was previously diagnosed as being on the spectrum for autism, was last seen without shoes.

Police say they are concerned for her safety.

Last week, police upgraded the search for Esther to a Level 1 operation, the force’s highest level, in an effort to locate her. Of the nearly 3,100 missing person reports last year in Toronto, only five were Level 1 searches. Police did not say why the search operation was upgraded.

The reward, which was announced by her family in an email to CTV News Toronto, is being offered up anonymously.

Esther is described as white, five feet two inches tall with medium build and brown hair, and was last seen wearing grey sweatpants, and a turquoise sweater.

‘Deeply disturbing and cruel’: Family speaks on missing posters being torn down

In a statement, Esther’s family said it was aware that some posters announcing her disappearance have been torn down, calling the vandalism “deeply disturbing and cruel.”

CTV News has observed multiple posters appealing for information about Esti’s whereabouts that appear to have been ripped down at several locations in the city, including at the intersections of Faywood Boulevard and Clanton Park Road in North York and Jarvis and Gerrard streets in downtown Toronto.

“Helping bring a missing child home safely should never be political or controversial. Tearing down posters of a missing girl goes against the compassion, decency, and humanity Canadians pride themselves on,” Maureen Leshem, a spokesperson for the family, said in an email.

Leshem went on to say that, given the climate Jewish communities in Toronto and across Canada are experiencing, there is a “growing fear” that the vandalism may be motivated by antisemitism.

“Whether or not that is the intent, the impact is the same: it interferes with efforts to spread awareness and could ultimately hinder the search for Esti,” she said.

Toronto police said they have not currently received any reports of posters being torn down.

With files from The Canadian Press