The one-year anniversary of the abduction of two Winnipeg children has sparked an unprecedented international investigation into their whereabouts.

On Aug. 11, the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) and Child Find Manitoba (CFM) held a videotaped news conference publicizing pictures and information about Abby Maryk, six, and her brother Dominic, eight, as well as the fugitives suspected in their abduction. The video was then posted on Youtube, the popular video sharing website. It received over 4,000 views and garnered Kevin Maryk, the biological father of the children, a position on America’s Most Wanted list of international fugitives.

“Facebook and YouTube are very important because they automatically erase borders,” said Christy Dzikowicz, executive director of CFM. “Rather than a press release or news conference, which only some people may read or attend, by using the Internet it reaches a whole different demographic.”

CFM often partners with an American missing person’s group, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Due to this partnership, along with the posting of the video on YouTube, nearly 4,000 American law enforcement agencies were made aware of the Maryk case, she said.

However, granted the overwhelming response to the video, the WPS maintains that the Internet is simply not applicable to all missing person’s cases.

“For us this case met all the criteria,” said Det. Clyde Raven of the WPS Missing Person’s Unit.

“Using such a big tool for a [specifically] local missing person’s case doesn’t make a lot of sense…This case is international.”

Dominic and Abby Maryk, along with their biological father and his nephew, Cody McKay, went missing while on vacation last August.

As such, the WPS is equipped with the names, descriptions and photographs of every prominent individual involved in the case.

CFM ultimately respects law enforcement decisions on media outreach, particularly when it comes to the exposure of missing children’s cases.

“It is our responsibility to not only find children but protect them… In instances where the WPS is investigating the possibility of homicide [or in other circumstances], the Internet can only provide unnecessary exposure,” said Dzikowicz.

There are eight other missing children that appear on the CFM website. Although Dzikowicz acknowledges and supports Facebook pages that have been created by family members, she remains skeptical about the role of the Internet in the remaining cases.

“The other eight children are considered long-term cases…The circumstances are a lot different because there is a lot more information [pertaining to] the Maryk case,” she said.

Despite its drawbacks, Michael Weinrath, chair of the criminal justice department at the University of Winnipeg, believes that the move onto the Internet is simply a natural progression.

“The fact remains that many people access YouTube,” said Weinrath.

“The Internet is used for marketing and advertising in order to get as many people involved as possible, and the police have the same goals… This method is the logical extension [from television and other media].”

Published in Volume 64, Number 1 of The Uniter (September 3, 2009)