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Father makes plea for missing daughter to return home to Ontario

Emma Woods was found after a News reader spotted her on the weekend, but she managed to give officials the slip
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Emma Woods is believed to be in the Parksville area.

The father of a teenage girl who ran away from her new home in Ontario and returned to British Columbia this week issued a plea to her daughter to return home.

Emma Woods, 15, was reported missing on Jan. 11 after boarding a bus for British Columbia.

In an interview from his home in Mississauga, Ontario, her father, Don MacCorquodale, said he is extremely worried about his daughter, noting she may be associating with people of questionable character and intent.

“Emma is a very cheerful, straight A student who, unfortunately, has been hanging around with some poor choices,” he said. “There are some people in the Oceanside area I don’t want her around. I left my career and moved to Ontario in the beginning of December to get her away from them.”

An article in The News last week proved fruitful in the search for Woods, he said, but even though she was in the process of being put on a plane back to Ontario on Sunday, she managed to escape — with only the clothes on her back.

“She ended up at a house with a parent who read the article,” MacCorquodale said. “Police got her to Social Services and away with the people she was hanging with, but on the way to the airport, she was somehow able to escape.”

MacCorquodale said his daughter was dressed only in pajamas and — as far as he is aware — has no money. However, he noted this was also the case in Ontario, but somehow Emma managed to get enough money for a Greyhound ticket to B.C.

“Someone has given her the money,” he said. “As a father, this is always a major concern. You hear all these stories about prostitution rings. It’s really a major concern.”

When asked what he wanted to say to his daughter, MacCorquodale’ voice quavered with emotion.

“Emma, our family loves you and misses you very much,” he said. “Please, please come home.”

Woods is described as five feet, five inches tall and 137 pounds with a light complexion, shoulder length blonde hair (possibly dyed a different colour), and hazel eyes. She has an earring in her nose and a mole on her right shoulder.

Anyone who sees her is asked to contact the Oceanside RCMP at 250-248-6111.