A month after his son first went missing, Kouadio Frederic Kouakou tearfully pled for Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante to give more resources to the search for the 10-year-old boy on Thursday.
Ariel Jeffrey Kouakou first went missing on March 12 after leaving his home to visit a friend. Since then, police have gone door-to-door in the area, sent boats and divers into the Riviere-des-Prairies and gone through hundreds of tips. In addition, volunteers have repeatedly searched Bateliers Park, the spot where Kouakou was last seen.
On Thursday, the elder Kouakou said it’s been “30 long days, 30 long nights” for his family and said he is still determined to find his son.
"Sadness is what we've felt from the beginning," he said. "(Today), instead of being sad, I would like to show courage for more hope that Ariel will be back. I strongly believe my son will be back."
He asked the mayor and the SPVM to look into the creation of a special kidnapping squad.
Montreal police have said they believe Kouakou fell into the river, while Kouakou’s family have maintained their belief the boy was abducted.
Kouakou was joined by Michel Suprenant, whose 16-year-old daughter Julie disappeared in 1999. Suprenant said it’s important to keep the story in the public eye, as once media move on, the families are left alone and helpless.
Missing Children’s Network director Pina Arcamone was also present and said that whenever the media mentions a disappearance, police receive calls offering information.
