Homicide detectives are investigating the deaths of a man and his four-year-old daughter who were found inside Milton’s Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area after they went missing on a hike on Sunday afternoon.
Halton Regional Police say the pair got to the park between 2:30 and 3 p.m. on Sunday, with plans to return by 5:30 p.m.
They did not return as expected, so Const. Steve Elms said they got a call at about 7:30 p.m. from a “concerned party.”
He said 45 officers from various units from Halton Regional police including tactical and canine, as well as firefighters descended on the park, which contains various areas with rock and steep terrain, to search for them.
“Due to the conditions tonight and the terrain in the conservation area, it isn’t your typical kind of search,” Elms said. “It’s a large area – very forested and it does encompass a cliff as well a bouldery area. The terrain is very rugged, very well treed and it can be slippery.”
By 11:06 p.m., Const. Ryan Anderson said officers found both of their bodies “at the base of the escarpment” area, with “significant trauma, consistent with a fall.”
He called it "the outcome we were dreading."
The girl’s mother and stepfather identified her to CP24 as Keira Kagan.
“Keira was the absolute most special girl you could ever ask for, my best friend, the most wonderful, kind-hearted girl, the most wonderful special big sister for this little guy,” her mother Jennifer told CP24 as she held Keira’s young brother. “She had a shirt that said ‘I am going to change the world,’ and I believe that Keira truly thought she could, so now I am going to try and do that for her.”
Keira lived with her mother and stepfather, Philip Viater, in York Region.
Viater said he dropped off Keira with her father on Friday night for the two of them to spend the weekend together.
Bialik Hebrew Day School, where Keira attended kindergarten, issued a statement offering "sincere condolences to the family."
"School counselling services are being made available to students to provide the necessary support."
The family identifed the father as Robin Allan McLean Brown, 35.
Anderson said he would not comment on any issues regarding custody of the child at this point in the investigation.
Court documents provided by the family show a contentious custody and access battle before the courts. They were due back in court on February 20.
The coroner and forensic investigators remained at the location and removed both bodies Monday morning.
“Our thoughts are with the family and the friends of the deceased. This is an unimaginable tragedy, and we grieve with them at this time,” Halton Regional Police said Monday.
Anderson said homicide detectives are conducting the investigation because they are called in whenever anyone under the age of five dies, per protocol.
Anderson asked anyone in the park between the hours of 2 p.m. and 11 p.m. who may have come into contact with the pair to call investigators immediately.
He said they are still early in their investigation, with post-mortem examinations still pending.
“It’s so early at this point we would not be ruling anything out,” Anderson said.
Tragically, we have located the bodies of the missing male and young female child. Milton Fire is currently assisting with recovery efforts. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the deceased. ^jh pic.twitter.com/cselPXKqM1
— Halton Police (@HaltonPolice) February 10, 2020
