The search for two missing Quebec girls who were later found killed by their father was deemed “too little, too late” by a Quebec coroner. Luc Malouin released a report on October 24, stating that the 2020 search for Romy and Norah Carpentier suffered numerous delays due to a lack of urgency on the part of police decision-makers. One of the early errors made by provincial police was the failure to quickly launch a ground search for the young girls after they and their father went missing following a car crash on July 8, 2020.
According to the report, the search was characterized by inadequate efforts and delays. The report highlighted that competent personnel trained in ground searches were not utilized in a timely manner. It was stated that “too little, too late” summarizes the search efforts. After the car crash on Highway 20, Martin Carpentier fled the scene and later killed his two daughters, Norah (11) and Romy (6), in the woods near St-Apollinaire, Quebec. He then took his own life.
The search for the girls and their father turned into a multi-day police manhunt. However, questions arose regarding the quality of the police investigation, leading to a public inquiry conducted by Luc Malouin between February and May of the following year. Witnesses informed the police that Mr. Carpentier was a loving and caring father, but they also revealed that he had been battling depression and was afraid of losing custody of his daughters. His behavior was described as out of character.
The report criticized the police for not promptly initiating an emergency response team and ground search at first light. Instead, the call was only made the next morning, with the search commencing around 10 a.m., five hours after sunrise. According to police protocol, disappearances of children under 13 should be treated as worst-case scenarios, with all necessary resources deployed promptly. Mr. Malouin identified a lack of planning, shortage of qualified personnel, and communication errors as factors that hindered the early search efforts.
Some witness statements taken during the initial stages were not passed on to subsequent investigators, including a statement from a friend who believed Mr. Carpentier had kidnapped his daughters due to fear of losing them. Staff shortages were identified as a constant problem leading to delays. However, the report stated that the provincial police could have sought assistance from other agencies and volunteer search-and-rescue groups.
The report also criticized the police for not promptly alerting the media on the morning of July 9, which could have garnered valuable information from the public. Mr. Malouin acknowledged the investigation’s flaws but expressed uncertainty about whether even a well-organized search would have been sufficient to locate the girls alive.
Mr. Carpentier, described as a construction worker with no criminal record and a doting father, was increasingly anxious and stressed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the upcoming divorce proceedings with the girls’ mother. The report suggested that the car crash served as a tipping point for Mr. Carpentier’s actions. In a panic, he fled with his daughters, gradually realizing the untenable situation he had placed himself in, which ultimately led him to the idea of killing his daughters before ending his own life.
The delayed issuance of an Amber Alert for the missing children has raised concerns. Mr. Malouin stated that while there was a delay due to technical issues, it is unlikely that an earlier alert would have altered the Carpentier case’s outcome. It was further noted that the issues with the alert system in 2020 have since been resolved.
Public Security Minister François Bonnardel announced that the province would collaborate with the police to implement the coroner’s recommendations, including improved training. He emphasized the importance of time and the potential impact it can have in critical situations.