Amber Alert now in Alberta for missing child
Posted Sep 10, 2011 11:18 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Amber Alert has now been extended into Alberta, as the search continues for three-year-old Kienan Hebert.
RCMP Sergeant Patrick Webb explains what’s being done in that province to get the word out about the missing Sparwood, BC boy.
“What we’ve done is work together with Alberta Emergency Alert System to put an information alert on their website, which also puts a message on the Facebook page and through some electronic highway signs that did not have it on prior.”
The 46-year-old suspect in this case, Randall Hopley, has a lengthy criminal record and his mother has made a tearful plea for her son to surrender to police.
For a fourth day, up to 500 searchers will be in and around Sparwood trying to find any sign of Kienan and Hopley.
Hopley may be driving a brown, late 80’s Toyota Camry with the license plate 098 RAL.
Sarah Gasparetto is from a town just outside of Sparwood but now lives in Calgary. She and a friend are organizing a group to search some areas off the beaten path.
“Growing up there gives us a perspective on all the little nooks and crannies that are hidden in the valley. We probably know about more places that a person who has just moved there.”
She says everyone wants to make sure little Kienan returns home to his family. “It’s been really hard. It’s stressful and you just want to be there and help people and hold people. It’s definitely been very taxing.”
Criminal code changes
Sparwood’s former mayor wants to see the criminal code changed after Kienan Hebert vanished from his home Tuesday night. David Wilks is now the MP for the area and he wants tougher penalties for repeat offenders like Randall Hopley.
Wilks was an RCMP officer and is familiar with the name Randall Hopley. The suspect has been convicted on several charges over the years that range from property crimes to sexual assault.
Wilks is considering writing a private members bill pushing for longer sentences for people with lengthy rap sheets. “They haven’t learned the first time, then obviously they didn’t learn and that means a lengthy period of incarceration is probably needed. If they haven’t done it through rehabilitation then incarceration is the way to go.”
