Mayor hopes for ‘closure’ as search for missing Mitchell girl enters second week

The search for a missing 10-year-old girl, last seen at Whirl Creek in Mitchell, has now entered its second week.

On Monday, day nine of the search, provincial police and firefighters focused on the area close to where the girl went into the water between Road 155 and Road 160 just east of the Mitchell.

Over the weekend the efforts extended down the Thames River all the way to St. Marys – about 25 km away.

The OPP underwater search team was not on site Monday. Instead, the Northern Bruce Peninsula surface water search team stepped in.

In total, 10 different fire services have helped the West Perth Fire Department with the search effort since it began on March 6.

“They certainly want to recover and find the missing girl and put some closure to this whole episode,” West Perth Township Mayor Walter McKenzie told CTV News Monday. “Not just for the family but for the community.”

Since the beginning, the community has been asked to stay clear of the river banks due to safety concerns. Unable to help with the search, food has become a way to show support.

Hundreds of coffees, pizzas and other meals have been donated – sometimes too many.

“They recommend you call the town office or the fire hall and see if they actually need anything for that particular meal,” said McKenzie.

The community is showing its support for the family and searchers in other ways too, including with a collection of stuffed animals on a bridge overlooking Whirl Creek.

“We’re all thinking how tragic this is,” said one resident. “It’s difficult even talking about it, it’s just so tragic. The community is totally going through it with them.”

“There’s no update, that’s what’s hard,” she continued. “As a mom I’ve got three kids of my own and I just couldn’t imagine.”

Mitchell has also turned pink for the little girl, with ribbons at the fire hall clock tower.

“With a small town you really get that embraced feeling, really supported by even the strangers in town,” said resident Janice Miller.

Police have not released the identity of the missing girl.

Town officials say the OPP, along with local firefighters and members of the Northern Bruce Peninsula Fire Department water search team, will return to Whirl Creek on Tuesday.