B.C. mother accused of abducting her children may be travelling with 2 men, RCMP say

A mother who is the subject of an Amber Alert after she was accused of abducting her two children may be travelling with two men who are known to her, Surrey RCMP said at an afternoon news conference Thursday.

Verity Bolton is believed to be travelling with her 74-year-old father, Robert Bolton, and her 53-year-old boyfriend, Abraxas Glazov, spokeswoman Cpl. Vanessa Munn told reporters.

Police released two new photos Thursday afternoon of the children, eight-year-old Aurora and 10-year-old Joshuah Bolton, who are both from Surrey, B.C., taken from a surveillance camera at a gas station in Merritt, B.C., on July 7.

Munn says they were seen in the company of their mother and the two men, and this is the last confirmed sighting of the children.

"We are extremely concerned for the safety and well-being of the children," said Munn.

Earlier in the day, police also released photos of Verity, who was spotted in Kamloops, B.C., at a grocery store on July 15.

Police said in a statement that security footage did not capture the children in the store on July 15, but Verity was seen wearing all black with a black baseball cap and black sunglasses.

RCMP also released photos of the truck and trailer they believe Verity might have been driving. The truck is a blue 2012 Dodge 2500 crew cab pickup truck with the B.C. licence plate number SJ2708. The trailer was described "as a white bumper pull horse/utility style trailer."

However, in the Merritt sighting on July 7, Munn says the mother was spotted with a different vehicle, a large travel trailer.

"Although on the last sighting [Verity] was towing a horse trailer, they also have access to a large travel trailer, or they may not be towing a trailer at all."

Munn says they have received a large number of tips from the public they are working to verify, and the RCMP Serious Crimes Unit has taken over the investigation.

Aurora and Joshuah were also seen in Krafty Kitchen and Bar in downtown Kelowna on June 30.

Police said anyone who sees the truck or the children is advised not to approach them and immediately call 911.

Verity is described as a white woman standing five feet two inches tall and weighing 119 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes and usually has long hair tied back in a ponytail. She was last seen in black cargo pants and a black sweater.

Aurora is described as a girl standing three feet 11 inches tall, weighing 55 pounds and having brown hair and brown eyes. Her left front upper tooth is chipped, according to police, and she has small freckles on her face.

Police say she has shoulder-length hair, slightly curled and likely braided. She was last seen wearing a blue dress with coloured flowers on it.

Her brother, Joshuah, is described as a boy standing four feet 10 inches tall and weighing 70 pounds. He also has brown hair and blue eyes, with short hair in a buzz cut that is growing out. He was last seen wearing shorts and a T-shirt.

Family of 2 children sought by police in Amber Alert makes public appeal

4 hours ago

Duration 0:42

In a statement read out by police at a Thursday afternoon news conference, the family of the two missing children says it is devastated by recent events and urges the public to help police find them.

Amber Alert issued Wednesday

RCMP sent out an Amber Alert for the two children on Wednesday afternoon, the day after their father contacted police to say Verity had not returned the children to him after a vacation to the Kelowna area.

Police told CBC on Wednesday the children departed Surrey with their mother for what was supposed to be a camping trip June 28, and were supposed to be returned to their father on July 17.

"Mom initially did have permission to take these children on a vacation, however, the circumstances surrounding that have significantly changed since then," said Munn.

Munn said Verity and her children never arrived for the planned camping trip in the Kelowna area, and their reservation was cancelled.

When police initially received the report that the children were missing on Tuesday, Munn says they did not have enough information to determine whether the children were at risk.

But she says through their investigation, police have concerns over Verity's mental health and well-being, and her ability to care for the children, which is why the Amber Alert was issued Wednesday.