Police confirmed that missing Quebec toddler Claire was coherent and able to speak with them. She was given food and water at the scene before being taken in for medical observation.
Claire had gone missing on Sunday, June 15, from her home in Montreal’s LaSalle borough. Her mother, Rachel‑Ella Todd, 34, reported her missing later that day from Coteau‑du‑Lac, Quebec, after last seeing Claire around 9:45 a.m. near Newman Boulevard.
Todd was arrested and later appeared in court via video conference at Salaberry‑de‑Valleyfield. She faces charges of unlawful abandonment of a child. A bail hearing is scheduled for Friday, 20 June.
CTV News confirmed the rescue as “Claire Bell found alive.” Premier François Legault and Quebec Public Security Minister François Bonnardel both expressed relief and gratitude to the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) and Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) for their roles in the search.
Local residents in St‑Albert, Ontario, and nearby Casselman reported sightings of Claire on Sunday afternoon, prompting the drone search. Investigators believe the public’s reports were critical to locating her.Earlier, the SQ had last seen Claire alone in Ontario before her mother reported her missing. Authorities also shared that the family’s small chihuahua had been found deceased near Highway 20. And the authorities are unclear about how the disappearance happened.Full details about the ongoing investigation, including the mother’s mental health and what led Claire across provincial lines, remain under review as police continue to piece together the child’s path.
