5 children who were subject of Amber Alert found safe in rental cottage

Five children who were the subject of an Amber Alert on Tuesday have been found safe at a rental cottage in the Crystal Beach area of Fort Erie, Niagara regional police confirm.

Const. Phil Gavin said police found the children on Wednesday at around 1 p.m. after their father’s vehicle was spotted in the area.

“We were able to locate the five children in a nearby rental cottage, all of them appear healthy,” Gavin said. “They are going to have some medical assessment done.”

Gavin said the father, Ian MacDermid, is presently not under arrest.

The investigation is ongoing.

Gavin stressed that the Amber Alert system was crucial in leading police to the children.

“The information that led us to (the father’s vehicle) is directly related to the Amber Alert, so it is important to note that the system did work and it’s brought a peaceful resolution to this situation.”

CHCH News captured video of police talking to MacDermid. In a series of tweets, CHCH said MacDermid told them the children are on vacation and that the situation was “blown out of proportion.”