SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The mother of a young boy who walked away from a day camp organized by the Yellowknife Gymnastics Club has yet to hear from the club about the incident.

Christopher, front, and Elizabeth Cowell are reunited after a frantic search on Tuesday afternoon. Christopher walked out of a day camp at the Multiplex and was spotted by community members moments after the RCMP was called in to locate him. - photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cowell

On Tuesday, when eight-year-old Christopher Cowell's aunt Rhonda Miller went to pick him up from a day camp at the Multiplex, he was nowhere to be found and staff could not tell her where he was.

After nearly an hour of frantic searching, he was located around one kilometer down Old Airport Road close to Staples.

Elizabeth Cowell, Christopher's mother, said she tried contacting the club about a refund for the week she paid for Christopher to attend and to ask for an apology. She had not heard anything from the club as of Thursday afternoon.

RCMP confirmed Christopher was reported missing at around 5:30p.m., and shortly after receiving the report a community member located him. He was spotted near Staples on Old Airport Road, where the RCMP picked him up and brought him to his mother and aunt.

A written statement issued by the gymnastics club states Christopher went missing at 5 p.m. during the transition between a free-time period for children and when parents began picking children up.

Christopher's mom said he is doing alright now, but added he was a bit shaken up when he realized how his family had frantically searched and worried for him.

"I would never wish this on anybody," she said of the search for Christopher, which took almost an hour.

Cowell originally said she paid for one week of summer camp for Christopher, to try it out. It was second day of camp for him on Tuesday.

Now, she said, she is trying to place him with people she knows as she wants to ensure something like this never happens again.

Cowell said the day camp needs to have staff who are paying attention to prevent this from happening to other children. One counsellor told her they hadn't seen Christopher since 1 p.m. that day, and another counsellor told Miller that sometimes people pick up children without signing them out.

The gymnastics club stated they were taking the situation seriously, adding they have reviewed and updated policies and procedures.

Updates include stationing a staff member at the doors to ensure children do not leave alone, and conducting a weekly review of rules and safety procedures with children to explain the importance of staying in their group and keeping their leader informed of their whereabouts.

RCMP inspector Matt Peggs stated in an email the RCMP do get calls for missing children from time to time, yet it is not a regular occurrence.

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