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Mikaeel Kular: Concern mounts over missing three-year-old | Mikaeel Kular: Concern mounts over missing three-year-old |
(35 minutes later) | |
Police Scotland has activated the national Child Rescue Alert system to help them trace a three-year-old boy missing in Edinburgh. | Police Scotland has activated the national Child Rescue Alert system to help them trace a three-year-old boy missing in Edinburgh. |
People in the city have been asked to look out for Mikaeel Kular. | People in the city have been asked to look out for Mikaeel Kular. |
He was last seen going to bed in Ferry Gait Crescent at about 21:00 on Wednesday, but when his family woke he was not in the house. | He was last seen going to bed in Ferry Gait Crescent at about 21:00 on Wednesday, but when his family woke he was not in the house. |
Supt Liz McAinsh said there have been no sightings of Mikaeel since then. | |
The Child Rescue Alert system means calls to its 0300 200 0200 number will be answered by dedicated members of staff. | The Child Rescue Alert system means calls to its 0300 200 0200 number will be answered by dedicated members of staff. |
Police said they are seeking information from anyone who has seen Mikaeel or anyone matching his description in the past 24 hours. | Police said they are seeking information from anyone who has seen Mikaeel or anyone matching his description in the past 24 hours. |
They said there was no evidence to suggest criminality at the moment, but officers were "keeping an open mind." | They said there was no evidence to suggest criminality at the moment, but officers were "keeping an open mind." |
Mikaeel is 3ft tall and was possibly wearing a beige hooded jacket with grey fur-lined hood. | Mikaeel is 3ft tall and was possibly wearing a beige hooded jacket with grey fur-lined hood. |
He may also have had on black gloves with multi-coloured fingers, dark navy blue jogging bottoms, a grey pyjama top featuring an embroidered turquoise dinosaur on the chest and brown Clark shoes with two Velcro straps. | He may also have had on black gloves with multi-coloured fingers, dark navy blue jogging bottoms, a grey pyjama top featuring an embroidered turquoise dinosaur on the chest and brown Clark shoes with two Velcro straps. |
He has a faded scar on the bridge of his nose and a sore on the left side of his mouth. | He has a faded scar on the bridge of his nose and a sore on the left side of his mouth. |
Police sources have indicated that an operation in Waterfront Gait, a mile from Mikaeel's home, was not connected with the investigation into the boy's disappearance. | Police sources have indicated that an operation in Waterfront Gait, a mile from Mikaeel's home, was not connected with the investigation into the boy's disappearance. |
There, officers detained a man as a witness in connection with an "unconnected" inquiry. | There, officers detained a man as a witness in connection with an "unconnected" inquiry. |
Supt McAinsh said the focus of the police operation remained in the local area, and officers were working to narrow down the timescale in which Mikaeel went missing. | |
She confirmed there had been no sightings of the missing boy, and no signs of a door being left open in the property. | |
She was not aware of anyone else having access to the flat, she said. | |
A number of people were helping officers with their inquiries, the officer said, but there were no suspects, and had been no arrests or formal detentions. | |
She added: "I would stress at the moment we have no indication at all of any criminality. It remains a missing person inquiry. | |
"Our concern is obviously - with the passage of time - he was last seen at 9 o'clock last night and it's a cold day that we had. | |
"I would ask people in the locality please continue searching in your own personal property. | "I would ask people in the locality please continue searching in your own personal property. |
"If your neighbours are away, then think about searching their gardens, their sheds, common stairs, wheely bins." | "If your neighbours are away, then think about searching their gardens, their sheds, common stairs, wheely bins." |
Mikaeel, who is British with Asian parents, was at home with his mother and four siblings, including his twin sister, on Wednesday night. | |
Officers are speaking to "all family members" about the disappearance. | Officers are speaking to "all family members" about the disappearance. |
Coastguard teams and lifeboats have been searching the shoreline in the Cramond and Drylaw area. | Coastguard teams and lifeboats have been searching the shoreline in the Cramond and Drylaw area. |
Efforts were made to speak to Mikaeel's father, who is understood to be of Pakistani origin. | |
Supt Liz Ainsh said: "We've spoken to all key members of the family. We've been in contact with them and they are assisting us with our inquiries. | Supt Liz Ainsh said: "We've spoken to all key members of the family. We've been in contact with them and they are assisting us with our inquiries. |
"We have no suspects because we have no evidence of any criminality. | "We have no suspects because we have no evidence of any criminality. |
"We haven't had any sightings of Mikaeel and that obviously causes us concern." | "We haven't had any sightings of Mikaeel and that obviously causes us concern." |
Supt McAinsh was asked by reporters if it would have been possible for a three-year-old boy to have got out of his home on his own. | Supt McAinsh was asked by reporters if it would have been possible for a three-year-old boy to have got out of his home on his own. |
"I have been assured that it is possible," she said. "I would suggest also that anything's possible. | "I have been assured that it is possible," she said. "I would suggest also that anything's possible. |
"Three-year-old children are quite resilient and they have quite a great deal of strength and ability to open doors and I'm assured that Mikaeel is capable of doing that." | "Three-year-old children are quite resilient and they have quite a great deal of strength and ability to open doors and I'm assured that Mikaeel is capable of doing that." |
Temperatures overnight in Edinburgh dropped to 2.3C (36F) by 04:00, according to the Met Office. | Temperatures overnight in Edinburgh dropped to 2.3C (36F) by 04:00, according to the Met Office. |
The Police Scotland helicopter has been involved in the search operation. | The Police Scotland helicopter has been involved in the search operation. |
Supt McAinsh said: "He would normally share a bedroom with his twin sister but my understanding is that he was sleeping in the bedroom alone last night." | Supt McAinsh said: "He would normally share a bedroom with his twin sister but my understanding is that he was sleeping in the bedroom alone last night." |