UPDATE: Arika Kakakaway was found safe Friday afternoon, according to police.
With the help from the Bear Clan Patrol, an Indigenous community safety team, and officers from the child abuse, missing persons and general investigative unit, they were able to locate the girl.
“Days like this are hard on everyone involved in the search and we are so thankful that she is now safe,” said Inspector Cory Dayley, with the Calgary Police Service Real Time Operations Centre.
“No nine-year-old child should be wandering around alone in the middle of the night, and we are glad that she has been found.”
Search teams spent the day canvassing Braeside before turning their attention to Fish Creek Park, North Glenmore Park and around Chinook Centre.
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Calgary police are asking anyone with CCTV footage in the Braeside area to check between the hours of 9 and 10 p.m. Thursday, for clues on the disappearance of Arika Kakakaway.
Kakakaway was walking home from a friend’s house around 9 p.m. Thursday, June 3. Kakakaway was last witnessed walking on Brackenridge Road SW, but she did not make it home, police said. Officers have searched the area with no success as of yet.
According to police, officers from multiple units conducted searches in Braeside on a hourly basis through the night. This included aerial searches by the HAWCS helicopter.
They also talked with people she knows, places she would frequent and notified Calgary Transit and city taxi services.
Kakakaway is Indigenous, and described with a heavy build, shoulder-length dark brown hair with a buzz cut at the back, and brown eyes. She wore a pink and blue tie-dyed backpack, a blue sweater, blue jean shorts, and checkered pink and purple Vans shoes.
No Amber Alert
Calgary polices said no Amber Alert has been issued, because they have no evidence to suggest Kakakaway was abducted. Police said they are constantly evaluating whether one should be issued.
Police said they have no evidence Kakakaway has been harmed, but are concerned she hasn’t been located.
Calgary police would like thank members of the public for their help in the search for Kakakaway.
Anybody with information on Kakakaway’s location is asked to contact the police at 403-266-1234. Crime Stoppers welcomes tips at 1-800-222-8477 or online.
