Nova Scotia

Search ends for missing Truro 3-year-old, police do not suspect foul play

The six-day search for a missing three-year-old boy ended on Tuesday

Exhaustive search efforts took place on land, in water

Dylan Ehler, 3, disappeared in May of 2020. (Town of Truro/Facebook)

The Town of Truro says the search for a missing three-year-old boy has ended.

According to a news release, search commanders from Colchester Ground Search and Rescue as well as investigators from the Truro Police Service met with the family of Dylan Ehler on Tuesday.

The family was given an overview of the search efforts over the past six days.

"It has been determined that the search area on land and in the water, that has been so visible since Dylan went missing, has been exhausted," the release said.

Ehler went missing early Wednesday afternoon and a search began at about 1:20 p.m. The boy had been playing in the yard of his grandmother's house on Queen Street.

Firefighters found one of Dylan's boots in the water of Lepper Brook, a stream close to the grandmother's home. The other boot was found further down the brook at the mouth of Salmon River.

Search and rescue crews in the Salmon River in Truro, N.S., looking for Dylan Ehler on May 7. (Paul Palmeter/CBC)

The search turned into a recovery operation on Thursday after no new clues were found.

Over the weekend, crews combed through a riverbed, helicopters flew overhead and police canvassed the area again.

Hundreds of fire departments, first responders and community members have posted photos on social media of pairs of boots in support of the family and those involved in the search.

Truro Police Chief Dave MacNeil told CBC News on Tuesday that there is no reason for police to suspect foul play at this time. 

MacNeil said police will keep their investigation open, as it is standard procedure for a missing person case to remain open until the person is found. 

Anyone with information about the missing child is asked to contact Truro Police at 902-895-5351.

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With files from Kayla Hounsell