Kienan Hebert

An Amber Alert was issued Wednesday evening in connection to a missing three-year-old boy from Sparwood. Kienan Hebert was not in his bed when his parents went into his room Wednesday morning to wake him up.

Elk Valley RCMP issued an Amber Alert for Randall Peter Hopley, 46, who has a criminal record for sexual assault, assault and 12 break-in convictions. Charges against Hopley of abducting a 10-year-old boy were dropped last year for lack of evidence.

He is believed to be driving a brown 1987 Toyota Camry with a B.C. licence plate number 098 RAL. A 2010 newspaper report in the Crowsnest, Alta., Promoter described Hopley as a squatter. When police searched a cabin in May 2010 they found a large number of stolen items.

But they were concerned about finding “a variety of sexual paraphernalia” in the cabin, said The Promoter.

“The boy told his foster mother Hopley had broken into the home and on two occasions, tried to push the lad out of his bedroom window. “Hopley claimed he tried to abduct the boy from foster care and transfer him to his biological parents for $2,800,” said the report.

“In the wake of the break-in a search warrant of Hopley’s residence revealed pictures of the boy, a suitcase of children’s clothing, some of the boy’s medication and GoodNites, underwear for children with bedwetting problems.”

Earlier, hundreds of citizens in Sparwood and throughout the Elk Valley in southeastern B.C. joined RCMP and search and rescue crews in the hunt for a three-year-old boy who went missing Wednesday. “He has a past history of sleepwalking, but he’s never left the home,” said Cpl. Dan Moskaluk, RCMP media liaison for southeastern B.C.

A massive search was mounted shortly after Kienan was reported missing. “Search parties are still out, search and rescue people from all the communities of the Elk Valley,” Brielle Will, a reporter with the Elk Valley Herald, told The Province yesterday afternoon. An RCMP helicopter and canine units were scouring the area.

“There are hundreds of people from the communities [searching],” said Will. “People have come in from the Crowsnest Pass, Fernie, Elkford and Sparwood, of course.”

District of Sparwood chief administrative officer Terry Melcer said the municipal government was on standby Wednesday afternoon, waiting for a call from the RCMP for assistance. “We’re waiting for the RCMP to call in the resources we have,” said Melcer, adding the district could provide personnel and mapping services if needed.

“Search and rescue [crews] from Sparwood, Fernie and I believe Elkford, as well, are looking for him.”

She said the town of 4,600 is anxious about Kienan’s fate. “It’s very concerning,” said Melcer. “It has been several hours [since Kienan’s disappearance was discovered], so we’re very concerned and waiting for news,” she said.

“Everybody is ready to come out and help at any time when the call is given,” said Melcer. She said the Hebert home is in the Whisky Jack subdivision north of the main part of Sparwood. “Deer are pretty well the only [wildlife],” around the subdivision she said. “This isn’t in an area that is butted up to the wilderness.”

Grizzly sightings are a rare occurrence in the coal town, 18 kilometres from the Alberta border and 30 km northeast of Fernie, she said. Kienan is described as having short, red hair and was wearing blue “Scooby Doo” cartoon boxer shorts, said Moskaluk. He may be carrying up to three blankets with him. The temperature fell to an overnight low of 2.4 degrees in Sparwood, according to Environment Canada. It was forecast to reach one degree Thursday morning. It is not known if the Heberts’ doors were locked overnight, or whether they were found ajar Wednesday morning.