WATCH ABOVE: Two suspects have been arrested in Ontario after the alleged abduction of an Edmonton girl this weekend. Lisa Wolansky has the details.
EDMONTON – Edmonton police say the two suspects involved in the alleged abduction of an 11-year-old girl have been arrested by the Ontario Provincial Police.
Andrew O’Coin, 33, and Maryanne Blanchfield, 24, were arrested shortly after 5 p.m. MT Sunday in Kenora, Ontario.
Edmonton police say a citizen called police in Ontario after spotting the two suspects and the young girl in a local restaurant.
The 11-year-old girl is safe and unharmed, Edmonton police said in a news release Sunday evening.
The search for O’Coin and Blanchfield began after police responded to a child abduction call around 4:20 a.m. Saturday.
Officers say the 11-year-old’s mother dropped her off at Westmount Shopping Centre at 11 a.m. Friday to spend time with her father.
The girl’s mother was originally going to pick her up around 4 p.m. Friday, but arrangements were made for a time extension.
“Mom was then going to pick up the daughter at approximately 7 p.m. that evening at the father’s residence,” said Det. Aubrey Zalaski with the EPS Child Protection Section.
When the girl’s mother went to pick her up from her father’s home Friday evening, no one was there. Police say the mother learned O’Coin had been evicted from his home the previous day.
Aubrey said O’Coin is known to police, but would not say to what extent.
An Amber Alert was not issued because police said the case did not meet the criteria.
This incident was considered to be an abduction, which according to police is when a parent takes a child from another parent or guardian.
O’Coin and Blanchfield are in custody and charges are pending.
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