THUNDER BAY - Search efforts continue for Josiah Begg, as Thunder Bay Police investigate the possible last known locations of the 14-year-old who has been missing for more than a week.
Thunder Bay Police are reviewing surveillance footage that places Josiah at the Water Street Bus Terminal getting on a bus at approximately 9 p.m. on Saturday May 6.
“We are getting video from the bus to review that,” said Thunder Bay Police Service Staff Sgt. Ryan Hughes. “We have other information that he was around the Balmoral/William Street area around 9 p.m. on that Saturday night, which is reliable.”
Josiah, who lives in Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation and was visiting Thunder Bay with his father, has been missing since May 6. Earlier reports placed his last known location at the Vale Limbrick Community centre at approximately 10 p.m. that night based on witness reports, which are still being investigated.
“We’ve been having conflicting stories because some of the witnesses said he was in the south end and then we were getting video of him in the north end at the same time, so officers are following up all the leads,” Hughes said. “We are still looking into some video around the Limbrick Street area, the Vale Complex, to see if we can view him within the complex or in the area.”
There are no current ground searches being conducted by Thunder Bay Police as further video evidence is reviewed, but volunteer searches, organized by Nishnawbe Aski Nation and the Bear Clan continue to coordinate with police and are expanding, with Canadian Rangers from several northern communities assisting.
John Fox, a second-cousin to Josiah’s father, said volunteer searches are also returning to previously searched areas based on the new information.
“They are expanding further a little bit more,” he said. “But since due to the video surveillance and new information, organizers here go back and re-search the areas or expanding from there so it’s along the McIntyre River and start walking further towards Lake Superior.”
Fox added that Canadian Ranger teams are also looking at possibly searching area rivers and waterways, however, searchers are still discussing any underwater probing with police.
“The Canadian Rangers, particularly this group, are trained in doing that,” Fox said. “They will have to talk with the police on what they can do.”
But Fox stressed that looking to the rivers and waterways does not mean the search is being treated as a recovery.
“Right now, he is a missing person, a high priority missing person,” he said.
According to Hughes, there are no plans for Thunder Bay Police to drag any waterways because there is no evidence to suggest Josiah entered the water.
“We don’t have a location or any information saying he went into the water for a starting point,” he said. “And we are still hoping for a positive outcome of locating him well and good.”
Josiah’s family continues to pray for his safe return and Fox said several siblings have come to the city to assist in the search. And even Josiah’s younger brother wants his big brother back.
“I think one of the saddest thing I hear is about the three-year-old little brother,” Fox said. “He is starting to have a sense that something is amiss. He cries for his brother to come home. He says he wants Joe, tell Joe to come home.”
Josiah Begg is described as an Aboriginal male, about 5-foot-8 and weighing about 120 pounds. He has short brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a red baseball cap, red hoodie, and grey and white sweat pants.
Anyone with information on Josiah Begg are asked to contact Thunder Bay Police at 684-1200 or the NAN Search and Command Centre, now located at Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School, at 630-1982.
