Searches continue on Sunday to find 10-year-old Ariel Jeffrey Kouakou, missing since March 12 in Ahuntsic-Cartierville, Montreal.

Montreal police officers continue to gather information. The SPVM's command post at Galeries Normandie remains in place, said police spokesman Jean-Pierre Brabant.

Volunteers accompanied SPVM officers to conduct searches around and behind the shopping centers, as well as in Batelliers Park near the banks of the Rivière des Prairies.

Without excluding other possibilities, police are working with the assumption that the child was in an accident and fell in the river.

The Kouakou family, however, believes that Ariel was the victim of a kidnapping.

"There is no door-to-door that is being made today, it is more of searches that are done in the field," Brabant said Sunday afternoon.

An assessment will be made this week to decide if a helicopter from the Sûreté du Québec will be used to fly over the area, Brabant added.

SPVM boats or other emergency services could also be deployed on the river this week to obtain new information..

In addition, a candlelight vigil was held on Saturday night in a local church.

About 200 people gathered to bring a message of hope to the family of the 10-year-old boy who was present at the ceremony.