Search Continues for Nicole
To mark the 40th anniversary of the disappearance of eight-year-old Nicole Morin on July 30, Toronto Police Service is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to her location.
The reward is in effect for a year.
“If you know something, anything, that could help bring answers, we ask that you come forward,” said Detective Sergeant Steve Smith of the Homicide & Missing Persons Unit at a news conference on July 30. “This case is not closed. It has never been forgotten. And it only takes one piece of new information to make a difference.”
On July 30, 1985 around 11 a.m., Morin left her top floor apartment at 627 The West Mall to meet a friend for a swim. She never arrived and has not been since.
The little girl was last seen wearing an orange one-piece bathing suit, red shorts and carrying a bag with her towel and other personal items.
Despite an extensive investigation in 1985 and many public appeals over the years, no physical evidence has ever been recovered.
In 2019, Toronto Police released an age-progressed composite to reflect what Morin might look like as an adult with the hope that someone might recognize her or come forward with new information.
The news conference also addressed how missing persons investigations have evolved in the last four decades.
“We have specialized investigators, stronger partnerships and better tools, including the Missing Children Society of Canada (MCSC) rescu app which now empowers the pubic to join digital search efforts, receive urgent alerts and help bring missing children, many of whom don’t qualify for Amber alerts, to safety faster,” Smith pointed out.
“But we also know there are still harmful myths in the public like the idea that you must wait 24 hours to report someone missing. If someone is missing, we want to hear from you right away. Especially during the summer, when children are out of school, we urge parents and caregivers to talk to their kids about safety and to act quickly if something feels wrong. Thank you for helping us honour Nicole and thank you for helping us protect children.”
In 2020, the Service implemented a dedicated Missing Persons Unit, staffed by experienced officers trained in complex and long-term missing person cases.
The Unit investigates all missing persons reports from start to finish, providing consistent oversight, investigative continuity and engagement with families.
The Service also adopted several recommendations from the Independent Civilian Review into Missing Person Investigations, leading to strengthened practices and public trust. The current approach also prioritizes public awareness and prevention, especially during high-risk times like summer when children are not in school.
MCSC Chief Executive Officer Amanda Pick said it is an honour to support the Toronto Police Service's critical work in finding missing children as quickly as possible and protecting them from going missing.
“Our organization has been serving missing children, partnering with police and supporting families for almost 40 years which is what we are honouring today, a 40-year time period of Nicole being missing,” she said. “Since I have been at the organization, there are two things that people say to me consistently. One is, ‘I can’t imagine if my child is missing’. Today I am going to ask you to imagine that you are the person that could bring a missing child home and imagine that you are the person that has information that could bring Nicole home.
“The next thing I am going to ask you to do is to hope. The other question I get consistently is, ‘It has been a long time’. So realistically, what are the chances of finding Nicole? Here is what I will tell you. Time does not erase hope.”
Despite the passage of time, Sean Sportun said Crime Stoppers Toronto is committed to supporting the investigation.
“We continue to offer a safe and anonymous platform where anyone can share what they know, no matter how small it may seem,” said the TSC Chair. “Over the years, many public appeals and awareness campaigns have been launched to spark new leads, and Toronto Crime Stoppers has been active every step of the way. This renewed appeal is no different. We are once again calling on the public to come forward with any information. The one undeniable truth in this decades-long mystery is that someone, somewhere knows something.”
Anyone with information can contact police at 416-808-2200 or the Missing Persons Unit at 416-808-7411. You can also submit tips anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS (8477)
