Late in 2024 parents all over the GTA were seeing the same thing on their social media feeds: posters of young Black boys (mostly 15 and 16 year olds) going missing. Some of the boys were from Durham. The families said it was the community and Black media rather than the mainstream news that was doing the spreading of the word.
The numbers speak to what families were experiencing. In 2024 Toronto Police reported that of the 200 youth aged 12 to 17 who went missing, 110 were Black (Now Toronto). Given that Black youth are a small proportion of the city's population that's a huge disparity.
Many of the boys have come home, some are still missing. Every parent we've spoken to asks the same question: what would I do if it was my own son?
If your child goes missing
Call the police immediately. You don't have to wait 24 hours. In Durham call 911.
Have a recent photo ready along with what they were wearing, their phone number and their social media accounts.
Call their friends, their coaches and anyone else they chat to online.
Write everything down: who you called, what time, what they said.
Ask the police for the officer's name and the case number and just keep checking in.
Before anything happens
Get to know your child's friends and their parents. Have a recent photo of your child on your phone. Know their passwords (or at least their usernames). Talk to them about who they meet online. It's not about not trusting your child at all, it's about being prepared.
Come talk with us
We're running a community forum on missing Black boys, plus a parent guide on what to do if your child goes missing and what you can do to support them when they come home. More details to follow in the new year. If you're in the middle of this right now, Pamoja can provide free counselling. Just fill in the intake form on our website to get in touch.