‘Please come home’: Mother of 14-year-old girl last seen in North York 3 days ago appeals for her safe return

Shira and Joseph, parents of missing 14-year-old girl Esther, are pictured on May 19 outside Earl Bales Community Centre in North York, next to a photo of their daughter.

The distraught mother of a 14-year-old girl who went missing from Toronto more than three days ago is tearfully appealing for information that will help bring her home safely.

Esther, who is affectionately known as Esti, was last seen around 11:30 p.m. last Friday at Earl Bales Park, near Bathurst Street and Sheppard Avenue West in North York. Police say the teen was heading in a northeasterly direction.

Esther is described as a white female, around five-foot-two, with a medium build and brown hair.

On Tuesday, Toronto police provided an update on the clothing Esther was last seen wearing.

In a social media post, they said recent information suggests she wore a long, turquoise-sleeved sweater with words on the front and grey sweatpants that were loose around the ankles.

Police had previously mentioned that she might also be wearing a green long-sleeve top.

It’s not clear at this time if Esther was or wasn’t wearing any shoes, Duty Insp. Scott Bradbury said during a Sunday afternoon news conference.

‘Please help us bring our daughter home’

“Esti, my love, if you are watching this, please come home. We love you so very much, and we miss you terribly,” the girl’s mother, Shira, told members of the media outside Earl Bales Community Centre, at 4169 Bathurst St., on Tuesday afternoon.

“Your family here across the country and around the world are searching and praying for you every minute. Your friends, classmates, neighbours, and community are all worried about you and hoping to see you safe.”

Flanked by her husband, Esther’s father, Joseph, Shira went on to tell her daughter that she is not in trouble and that no one is angry with her “no matter what has happened.”

“All we care about is knowing that you are okay. If you can contact anyone, family, a friend, police, anyone, please do,” she said, thanking everyone for their help in the effort to find Esti.

“We just want to know that you are safe.”

Shira described her daughter as an “incredibly kind, social, and smart girl.”

“She talks to everyone and makes friends everywhere she goes, which is why we are asking the public to help us look for her. We are urgently asking anyone in the area to check security cameras, doorbell cameras, apartment footage, storefront cameras, or dashcam video from Friday night onward,” she said.

“Even a few seconds of footage could help police trace Esti’s movement and bring her home safely. … Please help us bring our daughter home.”

‘Level One’ search underway: police

On Tuesday, Duty Insp. Peter Wallace, of the Toronto Police Service, urged people in the area to check their backyards and sheds for any sign of the missing teen.

“We have numerous officers on the ground. We have our drone units, our mounted units, our (police dog) units, investigators, several resources are dedicated in finding Esther,” Wallace said of the “Level One” search.

“We are concerned for her safety.”

Police previously said that they do not know exactly what Esther was doing at the time of her disappearance, adding that they are also unsure if she met up with anyone.

Investigators would not disclose if she has a prior history of going missing.

A command post in the area remains open as the search for the missing teen continues.

Anyone with further information, especially anyone who may have seen or spoken with Esther, is being asked to contact Toronto police immediately at 416-808-2222, 416-808-3200, or 911, if it’s an emergency, or Crime Stoppers anonymously.