MISSING: Nancy Liou, Richard David Marlow, Helga Kaserer, Amber Potts-Jaffary - Toronto, ON

By S.M.

Published June 30, 2020

Nancy Liou

Age at Disappearance: 15

Missing since January 27, 1999 

Toronto, Ontario

Other missing children in Toronto: 
Richard David Marlow, age 9; Helga Kaserer, age 13; Amber Carrie Potts Jaffary, Age 16

January 27, 1999 was a Wednesday, and it was just above freezing in Toronto, Ontario. Nancy Liou was 15 years old and supposed to be writing her Grade 10 exams at Monarch Park Collegiate Institute. She never went to school that day.

At 3 p.m., while her father was taking a nap, Nancy stood at the back door of her apartment building near Dundas St E & Parliament St.

She stares out the back door of the apartment building, wearing a synthetic white waist-length winter jacket, denim pants & black platform shoes. After 10 seconds, she smiles as if she recognizes someone in the parking lot then runs out the door.

Who did she run to?

The brief security clip, discovered after her disappearance, is the last confirmed sighting of Nancy Liou.

That night, her father stayed awake, waiting for her to come home.

Nancy was never seen again. She never returned to school and has never made contact with any of her friends.

In the fall of 1998, Nancy had left home for 18 days, but visited her father every day in the hospital while he recovered from surgery. There were reportedly no problems at home by January of 1999.

According to some reports, Nancy had told a family member she was going somewhere on January 27; she never specified where or with whom, but there was no indication she planned to run away. Nobody has come forward to say they’ve seen her since she ran out the back door of the apartment building over 21 years ago.

Nancy was as a “social butterfly” with a close group of friends; in 2001, her graduating class had only 45 people. She spent much of her free time at the nearby Regent Park Community Centre. At the time of her disappearance, Nancy was 5’5” and approx. 121 lbs. She has a scar on the corner of her upper lip, and a small black birthmark on her left cheek.

Over the years, Nancy’s name slowly faded from focus in the media.

Then, in 2019, the Toronto Police made a public plea for information in four historical missing children’s cases dating back to 1944.

Historical Missing Persons Cases in Toronto

Richard David Marlow

On July 18, 1944, someone abducted 9-year-old Richard David Marlow from outside of his home on Beta Street in Etobicoke. His heartbroken family has never stopped searching for him.

Helga Kaserer

On December 29, 1969, 13-year-old Helga Kaserer was 13 years old when she disappeared in the Roncesvalles area of Toronto.

Amber Potts-Jaffary

On November 26, 1988, 15-year-old Amber Carrie Potts-Jaffary flagged down a car on Lakeshore Road West, near her home on Rabbit Lane in south Etobicoke, and was never seen again.

Nancy, Richard, Helga and Amber are just four of approximately 68 cases in Toronto of missing children under the age of 18 dating back to 1944.