Forty years after eight year old Nicole Morin vanished from a Toronto high rise, police are renewing public appeals in one of Canada’s most haunting unsolved child disappearance cases. In July 2025, Toronto Police announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to answers in the mystery that has lingered since the summer of 1985, reigniting hope that a long dormant case could still be solved.
Nicole disappeared on the morning of July 30, 1985, after leaving her family’s penthouse apartment in Etobicoke to meet a friend for a swim. She told her friend through the building intercom that she would meet her in the lobby within minutes. Witness accounts later confirmed that Nicole entered the elevator, but she never arrived downstairs. She was last seen wearing a peach coloured bathing suit, red canvas shoes, and carrying a small bag with personal items for the pool.
The disappearance triggered what would become the largest missing person investigation in the history of the Toronto Police Service. Officers conducted door to door searches across the entire apartment complex, sealed off surrounding streets, and deployed helicopters, tracking dogs, marine units, and mounted patrols. Thousands of residents were interviewed, and more than 25,000 investigative hours were logged, yet no physical evidence was ever recovered.
Over the decades, the case has remained in the public eye through repeated appeals, reenactments, and age enhanced images released by police and child protection organizations. Nicole’s face has appeared on transit screens, store displays, gas station monitors, and national broadcasts. Despite thousands of tips and international leads, investigators have never been able to determine what happened to her after she entered the building’s lobby area.
The newly announced $50,000 reward marks one of the most significant renewed efforts in years. Investigators believe that someone may still hold a critical piece of information, whether it is a memory, a conversation overheard decades ago, or knowledge that was never shared. Police have emphasized that even details that may seem insignificant could help move the case forward.
Nicole Morin’s disappearance continues to resonate deeply in Toronto and across Canada, serving as a stark reminder of how a child can vanish without explanation in a busy urban environment. Forty years later, her case remains open, her family’s questions unanswered, and investigators hopeful that time has not erased the truth. With a renewed reward and public appeal, police are urging anyone with information to finally come forward and help bring closure to one of the country’s most enduring mysteries.
