The disappearance of four-year-old Michael Dunahee from an elementary school playground in Victoria 33 years ago continues to be remembered to this day.
The Michael Dunahee Keep the Hope Alive five-kilometre walk/run took place on Sunday morning in Esquimalt to support the Dunahee family and Child Find B.C., a nonprofit organization that delivers services to families whose children go missing.
On March 24, 1991, parents Bruce and Crystal Dunahee were getting equipment together for a touch-football game at Blanshard Elementary School playing fields. Michael was allowed to go to the playground a few metres from the car and wait for his father.
In that brief span of time, Michael disappeared.
His disappearance became one of the largest missing person investigations in Canada.
Hundreds searched for the boy. Roadblocks were set up on southern Vancouver Island, and ferries and airlines were alerted. Police officers and volunteers combed through garbage bins, refrigerators, freezers and crawl spaces.
Despite more than 10,000 tips over three decades, the case remains unsolved.
On Friday, Victoria police issued a news release saying investigators continue to work on the case. “All it could take is one person to bring Michael home.”
Investigators strongly believe someone out there has first-hand information about what happened to Michael and can tell police about his whereabouts.
Three years ago, police launched https://vicpd.ca/michaeldunaheetips/ — a dedicated online tip portal for the case — and released an age-enhanced sketch showing what Michael might look like at age 34.
Since then, hundreds of tips have been received and continue to be investigated, police said.
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