Missing 3-Year-Old Girl Found 90 Miles from Home, Mother Arrested After Sick Searches Found on Phone

A three-year-old girl from Montreal was found alive on Wednesday, days after she was reported missing in a case that has drawn national attention and sparked serious concerns about maternal mental health and child welfare enforcement.

Claire Bell, 3, was located near Highway 417 in St. Albert, Ontario, more than 90 miles from her Montreal home. According to authorities, the toddler had been left alone in the area with no food or water. Remarkably, she survived the ordeal and was taken to the hospital, where officials say she is in good health.

Searchers located Claire with the help of a police drone after an extensive search effort that began on Sunday, when her mother, Rachel Todd, entered a fireworks store in a panic and reported her daughter missing. Todd, 34, reportedly told store employees she didn’t remember what had happened to her daughter.

Claire was last seen earlier that Sunday morning at Todd’s home in Montreal around 9:45 a.m. Quebec police launched a search and rescue operation that same day, eventually expanding across provincial lines.

However, investigators began to suspect inconsistencies in Todd’s account, and quickly identified troubling signs. Hours before Claire went missing, Todd posted a cryptic TikTok video of herself holding the child. In the video, Todd says, “You try that again, and this is going to get ugly,” with on-screen text reading, “I know more than you think.” A caption beneath the video referenced motherhood, narcissism, and “magic,” ending with the warning: “Have you come up against a mother with nothing to lose?”

Authorities did not speculate on the intent of the video, but the clip raised alarm among online viewers and officials alike.

The investigation took a grim turn on Monday when searchers found Claire’s chihuahua dead along the route between Todd’s residence and the fireworks store. The cause of the dog’s death has not yet been released.

Police arrested Rachel Todd on Monday night following an interview. On Tuesday, she was formally charged with child abandonment during a court appearance in Montreal. If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Police have confirmed she has no prior criminal record.

Adding to the growing list of concerns, investigators reportedly found searches on Todd’s cell phone for children’s urns and funeral services. Authorities have not disclosed whether they believe these searches were directly connected to the disappearance.

Claire’s father, Matt Bell, took to social media to urge the public for help during the search. Reports suggest the parents were engaged in 2021 but may have recently separated.

In another strange twist, Quebec police issued a public request for help in locating a woman who may be a key witness. Described as bilingual and wearing an apron labeled “Abondance,” the woman reportedly met with Todd shortly before Claire vanished. Police have not confirmed whether the woman has been found.

Claire’s recovery near St. Albert, Ontario, brought relief to law enforcement and the broader public. According to the National Post, the child told rescuers, “I’m waiting for mom, she told me to wait for her.”

“We had hope, but we were starting to think that she wouldn’t be alive anymore,” said Guy Lapointe, president of the Quebec Search and Rescue Volunteer Association, in a statement to CBC News. “We’re still on a cloud.”

While many questions remain, the case has ignited renewed focus on the intersection of mental health, parenting stress, and the limitations of child protective systems. Authorities have not yet indicated whether additional charges will be filed as the investigation continues.