Oct. 1 Update
After searching an area of about 22 square kilometres from where Darius Macdougall was last seen on Sept. 21, no trace of the six-year-old Lethbridge boy has been found.
“At this point, if Darius is still in the search site, it is our belief that he is no longer alive,” Adam Kennedy of Search and Rescue Alberta told media this afternoon.
“The challenging reality is sometimes we need some help from luck or fate, or a higher power, depending what we believe,” says RCMP Superintendent Rick Jane. “This was a tragedy.”
RCMP and Search and Rescue Alberta are demobilizing their command centre this afternoon and will no longer be on scene.
The Island Lake Campground and public land use area south of it down Tent Mountain Road, are now open. RCMP Superintendent Rick Jane encourages everyone in the area to keep their eyes open until Darius is found.
He says will continue pursuing avenues to find Darius as they arise. “We are committed to bringing answers to Darius and his family.”
“Please trust that we are still here for the family of Darius,” said RCMP public information officer Cpl. Gina Slaney. “Our victim family liaison officers, in consultation with family members, have developed a plan to ensure the family continues to receive timely updates as the investigation continues.”
The investigation remains open and active and Slaney stressed, as she has each day, that RCMP will not stop looking for Darius.
“There’s no indication that foul play is involved, we’ve just exhausted all search tactics,” she said.
“Our investigators are still on this and we’ll investigate it thoroughly. That means taking every single possibility into account,” she added. “Just because those questions are being asked doesn’t mean we believe that happened, but we’re covering it off.”
Adam Kennedy of SAR Alberta said more than 11,000 volunteer hours were provided by trained search-and-rescue volunteers from Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. Their search radius extended up to 12 kilometres from where Darius was last seen. Within that perimeter, searchers more than 5,300 kilometres on field tasks.
Ground personnel were supported by helicopters, drones, dogs, horses, boat-mounted sonar, OHVs, swiftwater rescue and underwater search teams. It was a massive operation involving many agencies, organizations and assets.
Cadaver dogs have not engaged with the scene.
“During our life cycle, and even posthumously, we give off different scents. The appropriate dogs to the scent that we expect to see on the ground right now, from Darius, are being used,” says Kennedy. “Once the expectation that the scent is going to change and the cadaver dogs are suitable, they would potentially be engaged.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call Crowsnest Pass RCMP at 403-562-2866.
Those wishing to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com, or by using the P3 Tips app available through the Apple App or Google Play stores.
Sept. 29 Update:
RCMP told Darius Macdougall’s family three days ago that his chances of survival had dropped to less t
han five per cent. It was news no one wanted to hear.
Search tactics to find the missing six-year-old changed on Sunday to reflect this new reality. Infrared technology designed to detect body heat was pulled from the operation and aerial searches reduced to daylight hours.
The operation has involved up to 225 personnel, thermal drones, helicopters, tracking dogs and specialized software analyzing drone footage. Swift- and surface-water teams cleared all water bodies and 60 RCMP Tactical Support Group members conducted shoulder-to-shoulder searches.
After 10 days, searchers have found nothing. No clothing, no footprints, no signs of the Lethbridge boy.
“We are not scaling back the search, rather, we are refocusing,” Cpl. Gina Slaney, public information officer for the Alberta RCMP, said Sunday.
Crews are conducting targeted searches of higher probability areas that have been covered multiple times before. Search-and-rescue dogs also continue working with tactics adjusted for the assumption Darius cannot respond.
The survivability calculation factors in what Darius was wearing, his health status, the rough mountainous terrain, weather conditions and statistical analysis from thousands of similar searches, says Adam Kennedy of Search and Rescue Alberta.
Residents who know the challenging backcountry terrain watched from the sidelines for days before an information-sharing centre set up by the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass provided an opportunity to share local knowledge.
Check the municipality’s social media and website to see if the centre remains open.
RCMP and SAR Alberta kept civilians away from the search site and Tent Mountain Road is closed to the public. Kennedy said inexperienced searchers might destroy clues and the hazardous terrain posed risks.
Darius was camped with his family in the Livingstone Public Land Use Zone, south of Highway 3 between Crowsnest Pass and Sparwood.
The family called authorities to report Darius missing when he did not return to the campsite after a walk with other youths. Crowsnest Pass RCMP responded and the massive search effort began.
Sept. 28 Article
“Just because we’re saying survivability is limited right now does not mean we’re stopping looking for Darius”
Gina Slaney, public information officer for the Alberta RCMP
RCMP and Search and Rescue Alberta are changing tactics today in their search for six-year-old Darius Macdougall of Lethbridge.
Darius went missing last Sunday, Sept. 21, after becoming separated from a group of young family members in the southwestern Alberta backcountry.
“We are not scaling back the search, rather, we are refocusing,” says Cpl. Gina Slaney, public information officer for the Alberta RCMP.
“Some things will change but this does not mean that we’re scaling back. We are still out there in full force searching.”
Survivability
RCMP, Search and Rescue Alberta and victim family liaison officers met with Darius’ family this morning to discuss survivability concerns. Slaney says these concerns stem from the terrain, exposure to the elements and the time that has passed.
“The survivability is less than five per cent,” Slaney says. “So, unfortunately, that conversation was had with the family today and they understand how we come to that number.”
While some tactics are changing, she stresses that the search continues and will until Darius is located. Searchers haven’t found any signs of Darius as efforts continue for an eighth day.
“Any time decisions like this have to be made and that consideration is taken, there’s multiple different factors that go into it — everything from what Darius was wearing to Darius’ health status when he went missing, the terrain we’re dealing with, the weather on scene over the last seven days as well as a major statistical analysis” says Adam Kennedy, of Search and Rescue Alberta.
“There is a major data set of multiple different searches, thousands of searches. So it can be looked at to find data sets that match Darius’ profile, compare that to the conditions on the ground to help make that determination.”
Day 8 search maintains determination
About 200 personnel are working on the ground today, including approximately 100 SAR volunteers from Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. Searchers are working in rough, mountainous terrain that includes deadfall, elevation changes, uneven ground and a number of streams and creeks.
Kennedy says searchers remain determined and mental health supports are in place for them. “They’re going out giving it their 100 per cent today.”
Tactics are different, though, dictated by the statistical decrease in survivability.
“Given this unfortunate stage of the search, some tactics will be changed and ground search methods will be adjusted to reflect this,” he says.
Tactical changes implemented
Air assets using infrared technology, which can detect body heat, will no longer deploy. Kennedy says the decision reflects the assumption that heat signatures will not be picked up on the ground.
“That’s the biggest change right now, changing from using the infrared to solar cameras to search the ground,” he adds.
This is significant, as it means aerial searching is now limited to daylight hours.
Kennedy says some tactics and patterns used on the ground will be used in more detail, given the assumption that Darius is non-responsive and unable to call out to searchers.
Underwater and surface-water assets are on the scene today, re-examining areas where searchers found no sign of Darius earlier in the week.
Search-and-rescue dogs continue their work, now using different tactics. Kennedy says the dogs on scene are very effective at locating live subjects. Cadaver dogs have not been brought in at this time.
Public Information Sharing Centre in Crowsnest Pass
The Municipality of Crowsnest Pass is running its Public Information Sharing Centre again today at the Crowsnest Sports Complex. The curling rink lounge (upstairs) will be open from 3 to 5 p.m. for information gathering.
Maps of the search area are available for viewing. Anyone knowing of hiding spots or safe places Darius could potentially be is encouraged to drop in.
Municipal staff share leads with RCMP, providing a means for the public to support the search operation without going to the scene.
The Sports Complex is located at 8702 – 22 Ave., Coleman.
Background
Darius was camped with his family in the Livingstone Public Land Use Zone, down Tent Mountain Road. This is three kilometres south of the Island Lake Campground and Provincial Recreation Area on Highway 3, between Crowsnest Pass and Sparwood, B.C.
The family called authorities late Sunday morning to report Darius missing when he did not return to the campsite after a walk. Crowsnest Pass RCMP responded and a massive search effort has run night and day since then.
Searchers have been sensitive to Darius’ neurodivergency. They kept noise and light levels low, and played his favourite song in consideration of him having autism.
Sounds can serve as an attractant during a search. In this situation, searchers knew the opposite effect was possible and took care not to drive him further away.
“We will continue until we find him”
Cpl. Slaney says while nothing suggests foul play, RCMP continue investigating all avenues.
“Just because we’re saying survivability is limited right now does not mean we’re stopping looking for Darius,” she says. “We will still continue, we will continue until we find him.”
If you see Darius or have an urgent lead, please call 911.
Six-year-old Darius Macdougall of Lethbridge has been missing since Sept. 21. He was last seen near his family’s campsite in the backcountry west of Crowsnest Pass.
Note: RCMP originally stated Darius to be five years old. Previous Shootin’ the Breeze posts have been updated to reflect a correction to his age provided by RCMP on Sept. 25. The description of the area where Darius went missing has evolved during the search as well.
Related Articles:
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