TORONTO -- As Toronto police expanded the search Saturday for a missing teenager, who speaks very little English and has only been in Canada for three months, authorities made an online appeal to the girl and to the public.Mariam Makhniashvili, 17, who moved to Toronto from the Republic of Georgia in June, had no money or passport when she disappeared from Forest Hill Collegiate school on Monday, and police believe she had no reason to run away.
Police said the search has now been dubbed a Level 3, which means investigators can seek help from outside police units.
Crime Stoppers has posted a video on YouTube as well as messages on Twitter and Facebook.
"To the best of our knowledge, she has no friends and her only relatives in Canada, or North America are her parents and her brother, so that was the reason we stepped it up," said Staff Insp. Larry Sinclair in a video posted on YouTube.
"Mariam, all we are asking for is for you to contact your parents or the police or somebody you know that we don't just to let us know you are safe."
Police have set up a command centre near the girl's school that is open 24 hours a day staffed with officers who have information and photos of the teen.
Meanwhile, children at the school Makhniashvili attended say they are eager to help in the search for the straightlaced student.
Student Miriam Olajos, 18, has made posters with Mariam's photo. Though she did not know her, she said, "It's important for me to do this because I'm in the same situation as her. I'm an 18-year-old girl. I live in this area, which is normally a very safe area. I would just like a good conclusion from this."
Principal Peggy Aitchison said she has received e-mails from parents asking for photos of Mariam to post in their workplaces. They've offered to help search the area, an idea she passed onto police, who are looking to organize a public search this weekend.
"The parents are sitting and waiting for a call," she said.
"They're all parents and I'm sure every parent has said to himself or herself, 'What if it were my child?' We're all compassionate people and when someone calls for our help if we can give our help we do."
Makhniashvili had just reunited with her parents three months ago for the first time in five years after living with family members in Georgia. Police have said the disappearance is out of character.
On Thursday, the girl's parents, Lela and Vakhtang Makhniashvili pleaded for her safe return and asked her to remember the number 911.
Makhniashvili was last seen Monday by her brother. They walked together to Forest Hill Collegiate, where they are students.
They separated before entering the school because Miriam, pictured, told her brother it was easier for her to go in a different door.
She never arrived in class.
Mariam and her brother moved to Toronto from the Republic of Georgia in June. The siblings had been living with their grandmother while their father was doing research in Los Angeles.
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