The Quebec coroner's report released Tuesday concluded that police stopped the ground search for a missing 13-year-old girl in Lévis hours after she was reported missing in 2024.
The investigation began when the girl, age 13, was reported missing. Police responded and initiated a ground search. According to the coroner, the search was suspended early, before the full area could be examined.
The coroner’s findings were presented during a public inquest that reviewed the police response. The inquest examined the timeline, resources deployed, and decisions made by law‑enforcement officials.
The report states that the early suspension of the search contributed to what the coroner described as mishandling of the investigation. No additional details about the outcome of the case were provided in the report.
Quebec police have not released a statement responding to the coroner’s conclusions. The case remains open, and the missing‑person investigation continues under the jurisdiction of provincial authorities.
The coroner’s determination adds to ongoing scrutiny of missing‑person protocols in Quebec. The public inquest highlighted the need for thorough and sustained search efforts when a child is reported missing.
The Quebec coroner’s office, responsible for reviewing deaths and disappearances, compiled its conclusions after reviewing operational logs, witness statements, and search records related to the 2024 disappearance. The office determined that the decision to halt the ground search occurred within a short interval after the initial missing‑person report.
Police officials have indicated that alternative investigative techniques, such as aerial surveillance and digital tracing, were pursued following the suspension of the ground search. The coroner’s report notes that these measures did not replace the need for a comprehensive on‑the‑ground effort during the early hours of the investigation.