| Sourced from 5 independent sources · no points in dispute |
globalnews.ca, ca.headtopics.com, calgarysun.com, discoverairdrie.com, and ctvnews.ca
Most key facts are confirmed by more than one independent source; a few details come from a single outlet.
9 key facts · 8 corroborated · none disputed
Allegations described here are not proven in court unless stated.
A year after six-year-old Darius MacDougall disappeared near Crowsnest Pass, his family’s search has not ended with the formal ground operation.
At the family camping area near the Alberta-British Columbia border, Darius’s grandfather, Leslie Tallmadge, voiced the grief and determination that continue to shape the family’s public appeal. “Darius, we still love you, miss you. We’re never going to stop searching for you, buddy,” he said. “I come here and I walk and I look, (I’d) look anywhere for you.”
A Child Separated From Family
Darius went missing on Sept. 21, 2025, near Island Lake Campground, about four kilometres south of Crowsnest Pass. He had been walking with six family members before becoming separated from the group.
The Calgary Sun reported that Darius had autism, which prevented him from communicating with others, a detail that added urgency to the response.
RCMP and search-and-rescue crews launched an extensive search of the area, using drones, dogs and helicopters. Hundreds of personnel took part in the effort as crews searched the surrounding terrain.
The formal search was called off after about 11 days. But the end of that operation did not close the case.
Investigators Still Seeking Answers
Alberta RCMP says its investigation remains active, with officers continuing to review information and pursue leads that could clarify what happened to Darius.
“The passage of time does not lessen the importance of finding answers,” RCMP said in a statement marking the anniversary of his disappearance. “Investigators remain committed to pursuing information that may help bring clarity to what happened to Darius.”
Police say they have received just over 70 tips from the public. Each was investigated, RCMP said, but none has led to finding him.
The force is asking people not to dismiss information they may consider minor. “Information that may seem insignificant could be important to the investigation,” RCMP said.
Family Questions Alert Response
For Darius’s grandmother, Tina Herron, the lack of answers has fuelled a belief that he may not have simply been lost in the area.
“Somebody had to have taken him,” she said. “There’s just been too many people out here, too many searches not to find anything.”
RCMP has said there was no evidence of a kidnapping, and an Amber Alert was never issued.
That decision remains a central concern for Darius’s family and advocates calling for changes to missing-child emergency alert and response protocols. A Change.org petition seeking reform had gathered more than 20,000 signatures as of Monday.
Herron said the case has left her questioning whether the current system responds quickly enough when a vulnerable child disappears.
“No matter who it is, it’s a child,” she said. “They should have an Amber Alert, whether it meets the criteria or not, he should have it.”
A Continuing Public Appeal
For Tallmadge, the appeal is simple: keep Darius’s name in public view and contact police with anything that could help.
“If you see something or you know something, call the police,” he said. “He’s out there somewhere. If you see him, call the police.”
Anyone with information about Darius MacDougall’s disappearance or whereabouts is asked to contact Crowsnest Pass RCMP at 403-562-2866.
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