A Day On Vancouver Island:
Missing Children Quick Reference Page
Michael Dunahee
Photo Links: Ages 5 & 17 --- Ages 5 & 18--- Age 9 ---Age 18
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Unconfirmed by this url: There's usually a dance in Esquimalt, on the Friday night before the Fun Run.
As per the first news item on the 11:00 Chek 6 News tonight.
Recently, the small community of Port McNeill spent a great deal of time gossiping about a male resident. The young man had moved to Port McNeill when he was five years old. The same age as Michael almost was when he went missing. Port McNeill residents gossiped about one of their own this summer. It got out of hand.
As reported on the news: High hopes went up. Volunteers from missing children's organaizations, and the RCMP from various regions became involved.
After investigation, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police announced emphatically say that this is NOT Michael Dunahee.
DNA samples were taken for analysis from the young man that Port McNeill were convinced was Michael Dunahee. The DNA samples confirmed, without a doubt - that the young man who resides in Port McNeill is NOT Michael Dunahee.
Hi. Have been awhile for posts due to health. Summarily, I don't know what the full media story was about, re: a tip. Someone saw a poster of Michael that reminded him/her of a little boy in a public area, years ago. Michael remains missing. Local media went on to other news.
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Edit: Sorry, the newspaper I went by originally listed an incorrect date for the Dance and Run.
This Event's a family Fun Run... Walk... Rollerblade... skateboard... bicycle. Registration by pledges/donation, or just show up anyway! Purpose: Awareness. Go, have a relaxed good time.
*BTW: Volunteers are always needed that morning. It'd be great to contact them beforehand, but if you can't, just show up anyway. Always helpful little things to do!
This is a bare bones info page. It's culled from some experience volunteering at the Michael Dunahee Search Centre. My blog continues to get regular hits, looking for info on Michael - so here's separate mention.
Michael's Status: Remains missing. No suspects. No clues. No closure.
Born: May 1986 Stranger Abduction: March 1991
Victoria BC Canada.
Above photo links include computerized age enhancements.
There have been no new tips in the media for a very long time. Previous 'suspects' were ruled out a long time ago. So ignore the websites that continue to show drawings from the frenzied first week of searching for Michael.
Below are my recommended links. For info, photos, and legitimate contacts.
If there's a real lead, you can be assured that Victoria's newspaper and tv station would cover it. Can double check on the internet for The Victoria Times-Colonist and CH television websites.
TIPS
Not all websites have the welfare of children in their best interests. Some operate and run as independent businesses. Their goal is to seek, find and then attain the reward monies that may be involved.
ie: If a website urges you to contact THEM first - it's bogus. Some websites even assign their own file #'s to a child. It means nothing, but to them. It's not what the police assigned to it.
ChildFind, Missing Children's Society Of Canada, NCMEC in the U.S. ---much of these groups are volunteers, such as retired policemen that co-operate and assist the police as much as they can. Other groups out there don't necessarily have: the sanction, nor held in high regard, or respected by the police.
Missing Childrens Society Of Canada National Center For Missing And Exploited Children (U.S. & elsewhere) ChildFind Canada
Lisa Marie Young - Missing Lisa Marie Young - August article
News Flash Updates:
None.
Annual Events Section
March: Third Sunday of the month. Location: Esquimalt Recreation Centre. Michael Dunahee "Keep The Hope Alive" Event. It's a Walk-Jog-Skate-Stroller 3-5km route. All are welcome to attend this free event. It is a family day, and a gentle reminder/awareness of missing children.
May 21st: Is National Missing Children's Day in Canada and the United States.
August: A sports event that evolved from those interested in keeping the memory of Michael Dunahee. There is an annual softball tournament, usually held at Pioneer Park in downtown Victoria. Food concession, there have been beer gardens in the past. This is for adult teams wishing to have a fun competition weekend.
TO FRANTIC PARENTS SEARCHING FOR HELP:
Call the police. First. Always.
Have most CURRENT PHOTOS, and camcorder footage on hand. Always date & label your archives. You will need them for posters. They need to be distributed in your area as soon as possible.
Contact an organization such as ChildFind links above. They are supportive, helpful, and concerned people - often with some training in search party organizing.
POSTERS OF YOUR CHILD
If it gets to that stage: Find a colour printer. (ie: Staples)
The following info is most helpful on a poster:
Child's name, date of birth, height, weight, birthmark locations, scar locations, school attending, physical handicaps or traits such as stuttering. Wear braces on teeth? Hair colour (is it dyed? what colour? what is the natural colour?).
The clothing he/she was wearing that day. Colour/type of bicycle he/she was riding? List favourite things: for example.... Bob The Builder toys, mini golf, swimming, favourite foods.
To distribute posters, find locations where people are on the move. Ask them to take some with them. There are truckers and tourists at truck stops. There are also long distance regular commuters that take planes, trains, buses.
PREVENTATIVE MEASURES
Streetproofing a child is possible at any age, done at an age appropriate level of understanding. At this moment, your young child may be under the imagination that criminals resemble an unattractive person, or a cartoon villain. Your reality check: Ask them what a bad person looks like to them.
Streetproofing, and free identification kits are available to you. They can be found by contacting a link above, or your local police station. They will also be happy to send volunteers or officers to your child's school, or a local event such as a booth at a fair. Any public gathering event, a booth can be set up. The insta-photos and fingerprints are not kept for their records. They are given to the guardian of the child.
With trusted caregivers and family members, have a secret codeword between yourselves and the child. From time to time, it may be necessary to change it if the child has shared the codeword. From personal experience, it helps to re-enforce this in a child's memory by making a light-hearted game out of it. "What would you do if someone said: Your mom's sick. I'm supposed to pick you up. We need to go see her in hospital right away!" Child's Response: What's the code word, then?
One of the most common worst scenarios is: An adult asking a child to help them find something like a kitty or their "lost" puppy. It's important for the child to know that: Adults should not ask or need the help of children for this.
If an attempt is made to grab a child and haul them away. A child should wiggle, squirm, do everything to get away, and to make it impossible for the predator to get a grip on them.
If a child is grabbed by their packsack on their back: Wiggle out of it, as above. Quickly!
Even the shyest child needs to be comfortable Shouting for help. Their life will depend on it. People in public are accustomed to hearing screeching kids. "Help!" doesn't always grab people's attention. They might assume a child is fighting, screaming, tired, or disobeying their parents/babysitter with a hissy fit...
This word STRANGER! is the most powerful when screamed. It indicates immediately that the child is in a difficult situation. Combine extreme wiggling and squirming out of reach, and STRANGER! STRANGER! HELP! STRANGER!
Make a list of all locations your child is known to take: Walking routes to/from somewhere... the span of neighbourhood they travel in, on a map.... Make a list of their friends, including: Their addresses, and phone numbers. This saves time on so many levels. Especially when a parental frame of mind is already stressed... wondering where their child is.