Ashley Brown stands in front of the brook where Dylan Ehler's boots were found on May 6. She says she's endured online harassment ever since he went missing.
Alexa MacLean/Global Halifax
The parents of a missing toddler from Truro, N.S., now has a lawyer in their efforts to put an end to online harassment.
“We are facing a lot of harassment, bullying, threats, online and we really need it to stop,” said Ashley Brown, mother of Dylan Ehler.
Three-year-old, Dylan Ehler, was last seen at his grandmother’s house on Elizabeth Street in Truro, N.S., on May 6.
The family says Dylan was playing in the back yard and his grandmother turned her back to put a dog on the leash and Dylan vanished.
An extensive week-long search followed with support from first responders ranging from fire, to ground search and rescue, and Nova Scotia’s Emergency Management Office.
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Truro police say that Dylan Ehler is still an active and open missing person investigation but that there is no evidence to suggest foul play.
His parents say they continue to hold weekly searches for Dylan and can no longer handle the negative toll that ongoing cyberbullying and online harassment is having on their family.
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“It’s heart-wrenching, you know, to look for your son and then on the other side deal with all the hate and the cyber bullying, threats, stalking, harassment — you name it, they’re doing it,” said Jason Ehler, Dylan’s father.
Jason Ehler wears a hoodie with pictures of his son printed on the front. He says he’s constantly searching for Dylan.
Alexa MacLean/Global Halifax
Ehler says the allegations and falsehoods that have been levied against them online has led them to seek the help of a lawyer.
“They’ve lost their son; he’s now been missing for six months. They’d like to be able to focus on finding him and then they have all of these comments and messages that they’re receiving on a daily basis,” Allison Harris said, the lawyer representing the family.
Harris says she will be seeking a court order to assist Dylan’s parents in their efforts to put an end to online harassment.
“That prohibits these people from posting any further comments, that would force them to take down any comments that they’ve made previously and prevents any contact with Ashley and Jason,” Harris said.
Meanwhile, Dylan’s mother is pleading with the public to stop harassing their family while they continue to search for their son.
“Every little piece of dirty laundry has been aired out online and it’s gotten out of hand, blown out of proportion, been twisted and it hurts everybody,” she said.
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