By Angie Sullivan
Twelve-year-old Robbie Brown from Wilfrid may have disappeared almost 60 years ago, but new clues have emerged following recent coverage of his cold case.
Robbie’s tragic story has been covered this month in an American true crime podcast, this newspaper, and through the Georgina Historical Society.
Ken Bilboe, who has been described as one of Canada’s leading human trackers, shared that “new information” has come to light at an information session held on Saturday, April 25, at the Cedardale Church of the Nazarene in Pefferlaw.
“The efforts of the podcast, the Georgina Post, and the Historical Society have generated new information and moved the case forward,” said Bilboe.
More than 25 people attended the event, where Bilboe, who is involved as a member of Highlands Tracking Search and Rescue and is working with the Please Bring Me Home organization, said that the exact information can’t be shared because of “holdback evidence.”
Robbie’s younger brother Ross Brown, who has never given up the hunt, said, “We are totally overwhelmed with the support and have no idea where this is going to go. Something is going on now, and every little tidbit of information could help.”
Ross’s wife, Noreen Brown, said, “The case has never had this kind of attention. There were over five thousand views of the podcast, and it keeps the story alive.”
The BrainScratch Searchlight episode “Robbie Brown Case Deep Dive” is hosted by John Lordan and was released on YouTube on April 3. It has more than 5,300 views and 75 comments to date.
Paul Brady, president of the Georgina Historical Society, said, “We’ve shown up today to provide support and have kept our members informed of Robbie’s case through our newsletter.”
Claire and Harrison from Georgina attended the session after seeing an article about Robbie Brown in the Georgina Post.
The Cedardale Church of the Nazarene in Pefferlaw was chosen for the meeting and as a starting point for a “recon visit” because Robbie’s last known location was at the church camp across the road.
Bilboe suggested volunteers should be on the lookout for clothing and work boots that would be degraded, but still identifiable. Robbie was last seen wearing a red and black plaid shirt, blue jeans, and black work boots.
The location is also of interest because some bones were found under one of the cabins in the late 1970s. There have been complications with identifying the skeletal remains. This is an angle that Bilboe and Ross Brown are pursuing, but they are working through a variety of challenges to determine how to access the records and bones.
Bilboe, who plans to retire at the end of the week from his job with York Regional Police, said, “I have no intention of retiring from Highlands Tracking or from looking for Robbie Brown. With all this new attention to the case, I feel like we’ve already won.”
The episode about Robbie Brown can be viewed on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5VynJT4CHM.
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