‘If someone has our son, please bring him home’: Chase’s parents issue public plea

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This article was published 24/03/2016 (3786 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

AUSTIN — The parents of missing two-year-old Chase Martens issued a short but emotional public plea Thursday afternoon for any information regarding their son.

“If someone has our son, please bring him home,” said Thomas Martens, Chase’s father. “We won’t be angry, we will be forgiving and grateful. We are devastated to have our son taken from us.”

It’s unlike Chase to wander off the property, Martens said, flanked by Chase’s mother Destiny.

“We’re overwhelmed with support from the community. Anyone with info, please find it in your hearts to come forward.”

The area being searched for Chase has doubled in size and the RCMP underwater dive team is now on the scene.

RCMP spokesman Sgt. Bert Paquet said today the area near the boy’s home in Austin has expanded to a three-kilometre radius, including rivers, creeks and ponds.

“We have asked for the underwater recovery team because they have expertise in this,” said Paquet. “It is an area we cannot ignore, based on the fact our radius is expanding and it does involve water.

“With the terrain we are dealing with, most areas have been searched but the water has not.”

In particular, Pine Creek runs just south of the Martens’ residence. Paquet said it was possible for a toddler to walk to the creek. The bush is dense between the residence and creek but there is a trail. There are also several sloughs in the area.

Chase has been missing for more than 40 hours. He was last seen in the family’s yard about 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Chase was in the yard with his dad, who had been loading his truck. Both came inside and then Tom Martens dressed Chase in his boots, splash pants, hat and mitts, and the boy went outside as his dad went inside.

Chase’s mother last saw her son through the window as she got ready to cook supper. The boy was heading around the side of the house. He has not been seen since, and family, friends and the RCMP searched all night Tuesday and into Wednesday morning with no success.

As many as 500 people searched for the toddler on Wednesday, including members of several volunteer fire crews in rural Manitoba, military members from Shilo, people from local Hutterite colonies and Winnipeg police officers, including some from the dog unit, cadets and the Air-1 helicopter.

Paquet said he believes no physical evidence has been found.

“At this point, we do not have anything to go on,” he said. “Foul play has not been ruled out, but it is not the focus of our investigation. We owe it to the family and the community to keep open minds. But the focus is to locate Chase.”

He said issuing an Amber Alert on Tuesday night when RCMP first became involved would not have been required.

“The Amber Alert is designed specifically for confirmed abductions. We are not dealing with a confirmed abduction,” Paquet said.

He said searchers are showing tremendous resolve under trying circumstances.

“Obviously distraught, desperate,” he said. “It is a difficult situation for everyone involved. Most searching are parents themselves. One can only imagine what they are going through the last 36 hours.”

Paquet added: “The entire country right now is thinking of this little boy. We are doing the same. If anyone has any kind of information that they question whether or not it should be shared with us, give us a call.”