TORONTO [Peter Paul Media] – Exactly 40 years after 8-year-old Nicole Morin disappeared while on the way to her apartment lobby to meet a friend, police released an age-progressed image while announcing a new, $50,000 reward.
Police held a news conference Wednesday at the exact time and place Nicole vanished while highlighting how missing persons cases are handled over the years and to renew public interest.
Detective Sergeant Steve Smith of the Homicide and Missing Persons Unit confirmed that the case is still wide open and has not been forgotten. “This case is not closed,” he said. “It has never been forgotten. And it only takes one piece of new information to make a difference.”
Morin’s friend planned to meet her in the lobby of 627 The West Mall in Etobicoke, just west of the city, to go swimming. At around 11 a.m. on Tuesday, July 30, 1985, Nicole said goodbye to her mom and left her apartment on the 20th floor to meet her friend in the lobby, who had just buzzed from downstairs. She never made it.
After waiting a few minutes, the friend buzzed again and, suspecting nothing, the mother said Nicole had already left and was on the way. After waiting for a while, the friend went off swimming without buzzing the apartment again to alert Nicole’s mom.
It would be hours later before Nicole’s mother suspected anything and reported the disappearance to police. The subsequent investigation became the “most intensive and extensive police search” in history with over 900 community members joining the search, police said.
Nicole’s picture and story were embedded all over the city. Police ended up searching every suite in the sprawling apartment building but found nothing. No physical evidence was ever recovered, police confirmed.
On Tuesday, police canvassed the same apartment and engaged the public. After 40 years, police are no closer to finding Nicole Morin and are appealing to the community.
Nicole Louise Morin, born on April 1, 1977, would be 48 today. An age-progressed image released Tuesday shows her all grown up while bearing a slight resemblance to the image we all remember years ago.
She was described at the time of her disappearance as white, four feet tall, 51 lbs with brown hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a peach bathing suit with coloured stripes on the front and red canvas shoes. Nicole was also wearing a green headband and was carrying a purple beach towel.
The Chair of Toronto Crime Stoppers, Sean Sportun, said new leads are always generated from campaigns like this. “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,” he said. “Someone, somewhere knows something. If that someone is you – please, now is the time to speak up.”
Peter Paul Media 