Shammah Jolayemi located in Brampton barn days after spending time in Caledon

March 12, 2020 · 0 Comments

Written By ALYSSA PARKHILL

The Amber Alert that rippled across Ontario last week has a scary connection to Caledon.

On March 3, 14-year-old Shammah Jolayemi was abducted on his way to school in North York just before 8:30 a.m. Around midnight that night an Amber Alert was issued for the boy, as he was last seen by a few witnesses being forced by two men into a black Jeep Wrangler.

Police learned that the boys’ abduction was related to his step-brothers alleged drug theft of 100 kilograms of cocaine, equalling $4 million. Media appearances from police services stressed to the public that the 14-year-old boy had no part of the theft.

After receiving calls from the public who reported hearing a boy cry ‘help me, help me’ as he was being dragged into the vehicle, officers from 31 Division immediately acted by launching an investigation. By 5:27 p.m. the Shammah’s father contacted the police to expain that his son was missing. It was then that police connected the dots and figured out the two cases were linked.

“We launched more aggressive resources put into play to help us move this as fast as we possibly could because we understood what the circumstances were. About 10 p.m. that night in Caledon, a vehicle fitting the description of the black Jeep Wrangler was located as a citizen in Caledon contacted the O.P.P to say that this vehicle was on fire in a park,” explained Chief Saunders.

The teen was found two days later in an abandoned barn in Brampton barn off 10869 Heritage Road, only 45 kilometers from his home. The dark Jeep Wrangler that was used to take the young boy was later found, burnt, by the Forks of the Credit Provincial Park early on Thursday.

Police are giving the teen time with his parents, and have yet to interview him to secure his well-being. The teen was “dishevelled” explained Chief Mark Saunders, but overall in good condition.

There has been little communication with the step-brother says police, and aren’t able to locate him, assuming that he is not even in the province. The main goal now is to locate the abductors and encourages the step-brother to come forward with any information.

“The older brother had very limited contact with us, we don’t know where he is. If he’s a part of the opportunity in helping us have an understanding of who is responsible for abducting his younger brother, I would certainly entertain taking anything he has to provide,” said Chief Saunders.

The investigation is still on-going as police tirelessly work to locate the abductors. Police services are grateful through the cooperation with different law agencies and tips coming from the pubic, calling it a cooperative effort.

Situations as these show the collaborative effort between police services and the public, and the positive results that come out of the partnership.

“What we would like to highlight is the importance of the Amber Alert Program. The fact that our officers and Caledon residents were aware of the suspect vehicle is direct testament that the Program works quickly by alerting the public, and police services in the Province,” commented Iryna Nebogatova from the Caledon O.P.P.