TORONTO -- Police say they are concerned for the safety of a 34-year-old American woman, last seen in Toronto more than two weeks ago, whose children were killed in a devastating tornado in 2014.
April Burkle flew from Houston, Tex. to Toronto on Oct. 10 to see a friend from Hamilton, Ont., family spokesperson Alexis Cauthen told CTV News Toronto Wednesday night.
When she arrived at the airport in Toronto, Cauthen said she heard that Burkle refused a ride to Hamilton with the friend she was supposed to meet, and instead took a cab to downtown Toronto.
Cauthen said she and Burkle have been friends for years, and were neighbours in the small town of Vilonia, Ark., which experienced a devastating tornado in 2014, that severely injured Burkle and killed her two sons, aged seven and nine.
Before she went missing, Cauthen said that Burkle, who is fluent in American Sign Language, was taking care of her mother in Houston who is deaf.
April Burkle lost her two sons, aged seven and nine, in a 2014 tornado in Arkansas. Her long-time friend Alexis Cauthen shared this photo with CTV News Toronto.
Cauthen said that on Oct. 21, Burkle accompanied 44-year-old Troy Warner to a Toronto police station. She said that the family hasn’t heard of her since.
Police issued a press release on Oct. 21 around 12:45 p.m. requesting the public’s assistance in locating an elopee named Troy Warner, also aged 44, who was last seen in the area of Queen Street West and Ossington Avenue around 7 p.m. Oct. 20.
Police said an elopee is a patient subject to detention at a psychiatric facility who leaves without permission. Warner was later found Oct. 21 at 6:15 p.m.
Cauthen said the Toronto Police Service contacted Burkle’s aunt in Houston after Warner and Burkle were taken to the police station.
She said that police were trying to identify Burkle, who had no identification or cellphone on her. She said that police also said that Burkle had a “calming influence” on Warner, which is why she was brought to the station.
Burkle then left the station after interacting with police, and went back into the city, Cauthen said.
Police said in a news release issued Monday that Burkle was last seen on Oct. 22 in the area of Peter Street and Queen Street West. She is described as five-foot-five, weighing 140 pound, and has a medium build, long brown hair and brown eyes.
Police have shared this photo of missing person April Burkle with the public to help locate her.
Const. David Hopkinson, from the Toronto Police Service, said he does not know what time the woman was last seen. He said he cannot disclose information on whom she may have been with and he did not confirm that she had accompanied Warner to the station.
Cauthen said she believes that her friend may be suffering from Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) because of the tornado. She said she worries that the flight to Canada may have triggered her, and affected her ability to make sound decisions.
She said that it’s unlike Burkle to not communicate with her mother, and family about her whereabouts.
Cauthen said that Burkle’s friend from Hamilton and her family have been in contact with Toronto police, the FBI and the U.S. embassy.
“It’s tough and heavy and difficult,” she said Wednesday night. “But we’re focusing on the most important thing and that is to get her story out there.”
