After nearly two weeks of desperate searching, 14-year-old Esther, whose disappearance gripped the Toronto Jewish community and drew international attention, has been found safe.

Police announced that Esther was located at approximately 1:00 p.m. Wednesday at a residence in Etobicoke.

Sources tell YWN that Esther made a phone call from a train station earlier in the day. The call was reportedly tracked, triggering an intense manhunt that ultimately led authorities to her location.

Esther had been missing since shortly after midnight on May 16, when she was last seen in North York near Bathurst Street and Hotspur Road.

The case prompted a rare Level One police search, with Toronto Police deploying extensive resources and establishing a command post at Earl Bales Park. Authorities had repeatedly expressed grave concerns for Esther’s welfare, noting that she is on the autism spectrum.

The search effort united hundreds of people across multiple countries. Rockland Chaveirim worked around the clock – even spending Shavuos in Toronto – alongside Toronto Shomrim and local law enforcement agencies. More than a dozen Chaveirim volunteers traveled from New York to assist in the search.

Listen to the audio message below from the father of Esti, as he provides a short update and thanks all those who were instrumental in helping locate her.

Community members blanketed neighborhoods with posters, conducted searches day and night, and established an additional command center on Wilson Avenue near Bathurst Street. A $25,000 reward was also offered for information leading to Esther’s safe return.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)