Cpl. Gina Slaney with the RCMP speaks during a media availability on September 23 at 2:30 p.m. speaking on the search and rescue efforts to find Darius Macdougall.
Nicholas L. M. Allen
Sep 23, 2025
Officials say resources from Alberta and B.C. deployed in rugged Crowsnest Pass terrain
Alberta RCMP and Search and Rescue Alberta provided an update Monday afternoon on the ongoing search for five-year-old Darius Macdougall, missing since September 21 in the Crowsnest Pass.
The virtual media availability, held at 2:30 p.m. September 23, was led by Cpl. Gina Slaney, public information officer with Alberta RCMP, and Adam Kennedy, provincial training manager with Search and Rescue Alberta. The pair emphasized the scale of the operation, the difficult terrain, and the strong coordination among agencies from both Alberta and British Columbia.
Slaney said the decision to go virtual was due to logistics. “It’s such a remote area that we’re dealing with. We wanted everybody to have the opportunity to hear what’s happening with the search for Darius and to ask questions.”
When asked how the public could support crews on the ground, Slaney said responders have already received assistance from the Salvation Army, which has been providing food, and a nearby Bible camp offering rest areas. She noted that with crews working around the clock, further support would be welcome. Kennedy added that searchers have appreciated both government and community partnerships.
Slaney confirmed RCMP are conducting follow-up interviews with family members, including siblings who were with Darius at the time of his disappearance. “We have child forensic interviewers that know how to appropriately interview children,” she said. “You never know, the smallest tidbit of information from one of those family members might be able to assist us.”
Asked about comparisons to other missing children cases, Kennedy said every available search and rescue resource in Alberta and B.C. is being utilized. “There are no resources that are not being used if they’re suitable on the ground here,” he said.
Kennedy explained that search tactics have been evolving as time passes. “What they are now doing is expanding the search area. As time goes on, there’s a potential that young Darius may have left the initial search area. That search area will continuously be increased based on investigation on the RCMP side and any new investigative leads.”
Slaney reiterated that RCMP believe Darius went missing while walking in the area with his family. “There’s no reason at this point to believe anything else happened. But again, we’re covering all investigational avenues.”
Kennedy provided a detailed account of search activities since the last update at 2 p.m. on September 22. “We did have ground teams out covering some safe areas for our searchers. Drones were in the air overnight with support from the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association. We had dogs on scene until well into the night. RCMP were patrolling the road with their emergency equipment activated to try to set up a bit of an attractant for young Darius to pull him out of the woods towards the road, towards those lights. This morning we started at first light. We have 82 GSAR resources on the ground from throughout Alberta and British Columbia. We also have underwater search capacity on site, we have swift water search capacity, and we have quite a few searchers experienced in hazardous terrain. We had one helicopter on site today and two last night.”
Overnight lows have been a consideration, Kennedy acknowledged. “Anytime the temperature is dipping to the three to six degree mark at night, especially if young Darius isn’t mobile, there’s a potential for becoming cold. We’re still quite positive. It’s not to the temperatures that we are overly concerned, but of course it causes some pause for concern.”
Slaney said there is currently no indication of foul play. “At this point, there’s no indication that foul play is involved. But again, we keep our investigations very broad and we’re looking at every single possibility.”
Both officials addressed why the public has been asked to avoid the search area. Kennedy said trained searchers are essential for safety and effectiveness. “Using trained professional searchers gives us a much higher probability of detection. The other aspect is safety. It is hazardous terrain. If an untrained volunteer becomes injured, we have to reroute resources to support that incident as opposed to continuing the search for Darius.”
Kennedy described the area as a “mixed level of terrain” ranging from flat ground to steep slopes, waterways, and high-angle features.
Asked if hope remains strong, Kennedy confirmed optimism on the ground. “There are some statistics that go behind this as far as survivability. We are still in the stage right now where we are very, very hopeful. There’s no talk on the ground of anything other than a positive impact.”
Slaney added, “We’re always going to carry on that hope until the hope is no longer there.”
Kennedy said search teams have already covered the core area where 25 per cent of children of Darius’s profile are typically found, and efforts are expanding outward to the 90th percentile range.
Slaney said RCMP family liaison officers and victim services are working with Darius’s family, who are from Lethbridge. “The family wants to help, so they have been given tasks where they can actually help at the scene, but within control so that they’re not interfering with professionals. They have asked us to speak on their behalf to request privacy at this time. Their main concern is concentrating on the search for their child.”
Officials said updates will continue daily, though Slaney added, “Hopefully our next update is that Darius is found safe.”
Anyone with information on Darius’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Crowsnest Pass RCMP detachment at 403-562-2866 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
