In a shocking yet hopeful turn of events, a three-year-old Montreal girl, Claire Bell, who had been missing since Sunday, has been found alive near a highway in eastern Ontario, the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) confirmed Wednesday afternoon.
The child was spotted alone on the side of Highway 417 near St. Albert, Ontario, around 3 p.m., thanks to a drone operated by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). Officers quickly responded, providing her with first aid, water, and food before taking her to a nearby hospital for a full medical check.
A screenshot of a TikTok video showing Rachel-Ella Todd, 34, with her daughter, Claire Bell. Bell has been missing since Sunday, June 15, 2025. (Source: TikTok)
“She was speaking with the police officer, she was alive. We provided some first aid, water, and food,” said SQ spokesperson Éloïse Cossette. “The priority is just to make sure she is OK.”
Police say the discovery followed a lead that placed her near Casselman and St. Albert the same day she went missing. While many questions remain about how the toddler ended up more than 100 km away from home, authorities say they’re grateful she was found safe.
“All I can tell you right now is we’re happy that she’s alive. It’s the best scenario possible,” Cossette added.
The child’s mother, Rachel-Ella Todd, 34, appeared in a Valleyfield courthouse just minutes before news of the girl’s discovery broke. Todd has been charged with child abandonment and was arrested Monday evening. Her bail hearing is scheduled for Friday.
Adding to the complexity of the case, a video posted on Todd’s TikTok account on the same day she reported her daughter missing shows her visibly angry, holding her daughter in her arms and saying:
“You try that again and this is going to get ugly.”
The caption on the video reads:
“Have you come up against a mother with nothing to lose????”
Authorities haven’t confirmed who the statement was directed at, but the clip has raised further concerns as the investigation unfolds.
Claire was last seen near her home on Newman Boulevard in Montreal’s LaSalle borough around 9:45 a.m. on Sunday. Hours later, Todd reportedly entered a store in Coteau-du-Lac and told staff she had lost her daughter.
Police say they interviewed a key witness — a farmer who allegedly spoke with Todd between 9:45 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. that day. Investigators believe this individual could provide vital insight into the timeline of events.
Both the SQ and OPP have announced a press conference to be held Wednesday evening to provide further updates.
via CTV NEWS Montreal.