An 11-year-old Calgary boy who disappeared two weeks ago has been found dead, police announced Wednesday.
Chief Katie McLellan said the boy named Parker was discovered in a small water pipe underneath Deerfoot Trail, the city’s major north-south expressway.
“For nearly two weeks, so many people woke up hoping it would be the day Parker came home,” McLellan told reporters.
“Instead, we are here sharing news that is heartbreaking for his family and for everyone who has been carrying that hope.”
Police said it appears Parker, who had autism and was non-verbal, wandered into a deep culvert then into a labyrinth of pipes.
Officers searched the area after receiving a tip that the boy’s shoe had been found nearby.
The discovery was made Wednesday afternoon, with Parker located in a narrow concrete pipe on the east side of the expressway.
It follows a massive search that galvanized the city, with hundreds of officers and volunteers scouring city blocks, homes, sheds, garages, boats and under patio decks.
Parker disappeared after he walked away from his daycare home on July 16.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2026.
By Dayne Patterson and Bill Graveland | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
