Heartbreak in Toronto: Posters of Missing 14-Year-Old Jewish Girl Torn Down by Residents.
The urgent search for a missing 14-year-old Jewish girl in Toronto has taken a troubling turn, as posters asking for help in finding her have been torn down throughout the city.
Her distressed family now fears that these acts are undermining efforts to bring their daughter home safely.
Esther, lovingly called Esti, has been missing for over a week, and her relatives warn that every removed poster reduces the chances of someone recognizing and helping the vulnerable teen.
Toronto police say the teen was last seen shortly after midnight on May 16 near Bathurst Street and Hotspur Road in North York.
Authorities added that she had earlier been spotted near Earl Bales Park and was barefoot at the time of her disappearance.
A Level 1 search—the highest classification used by the Toronto Police Service—has since been launched, deploying specialized units such as canine teams, mounted officers, and marine crews as concerns for her safety grow.
Over the weekend, investigators released a new surveillance image believed to show Esther inside a restaurant on the night she went missing.
Police have also set up a dedicated website and public tip portal, encouraging residents to share photos, security footage, or any possible sightings.
As volunteers covered neighborhoods with flyers and spent days searching streets, parks, and transit routes, some posters began disappearing almost as quickly as they were put up.
Torn and partially destroyed missing-person notices were found at intersections across Toronto, including North York and downtown, fueling outrage among community members already fearing the worst about Esther’s disappearance.
Her family said they were devastated to learn that appeals for information about their daughter had been taken down.
“Helping bring a missing child home should never be political or controversial,” family spokesperson Maureen Leshem said in a statement to local media.
“Tearing down posters of a missing girl goes against the compassion, decency, and humanity Canadians take pride in.”
Leshem called the vandalism “deeply disturbing and cruel,” noting that volunteers who spent countless hours searching for Esther are now seeing their efforts undone.
“When a family is desperately trying to find their child, this kind of behavior should concern everyone in our city,” she added.
“Right now, the priority should be finding Esti. Instead, volunteers who have spent days and nights searching, putting up posters, and raising awareness are seeing their efforts deliberately undone.”
The incidents have increased concern within Toronto’s Jewish community, with the family raising fears that antisemitism may be a factor.
Leshem said that amid rising tensions and unease among Jewish communities across Canada, there is worry the removal of the posters may not be random.
“Regardless of intent, the impact is the same—it disrupts awareness efforts and could ultimately hinder the search for Esti,” she explained.
Online, the torn posters have drawn comparisons to incidents where posters of Israeli hostages were removed in cities worldwide following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks—adding to the emotional weight surrounding the case.
Photographer Dan Levey, who documented several of the damaged posters, shared his concerns with local media.
“Posters for a missing 14-year-old Jewish girl are being torn down in North York—one of the most Jewish neighborhoods in Canada—and reportedly across Toronto,” he said. “It echoes the same kind of disrespect seen with the Israeli hostage posters.”
Toronto police acknowledged the reports have been upsetting for many residents but emphasized that their focus remains on locating the missing teen.
Police spokesperson Nadine Ramadan said officers understand the community’s concerns, though noted that removing posters is “not necessarily a criminal offense.”
“Our priority remains the investigation to find Esther,” she added.
Authorities say there is no evidence at this time that Esther was abducted, meaning the case does not meet the criteria for an Amber Alert under Canadian guidelines.
Police added that Level 1 searches are extremely rare, with only a small number of cases each year in Toronto reaching that level out of thousands of missing-person reports.
Esther, who is on the autism spectrum, went missing without her cellphone, shoes, or a coat.
Investigators said she was last seen wearing grey sweatpants and a turquoise or green long-sleeved sweater with writing on the front.
As the search enters another difficult week, the family has announced a $25,000 reward for information that could lead to her safe return.
At the same time, hundreds of volunteers have stepped in to help bring the teenager home.
Community patrol group Shomrim Toronto said its volunteers were granted special permission to continue search efforts during the Shavuot holiday and throughout Shabbat, as teams spread out across neighborhoods distributing updated flyers and canvassing streets.
“We are deeply grateful to the volunteers who have dedicated hundreds of hours to searching for Esti,” the group said in a statement. “We remain fully committed to doing everything possible to ensure her safe return.”
During an emotional press conference last week, Esther’s mother, Shira, made a heartfelt appeal to her daughter.
“We love you so much. We miss you deeply,” she said. “You’re not in trouble. No one is angry with you—no matter what happened. All we care about is knowing that you are safe.”
Family members describe Esther as highly intelligent, friendly, and trusting—qualities they fear may make her especially vulnerable.
“I’m worried she may be too trusting and might believe people who don’t have good intentions,” her mother said. “It’s deeply concerning.”
