Alberta RCMP are saying they have an unconfirmed, uncorroborated tip that missing Toronto teenager Mariam Makhniashvili may have been seen in the northwest city of Grande Prairie.

This possible sighting occurred Wednesday morning, Alberta RCMP said Friday in a news release.

Cpl. Carol McKinley, a spokesperson for the RCMP detachment in Grande Prairie, told ctvtoronto.ca that Makhniashvili may have been seen at a hotel in an area known locally as the bypass.

The person had left. Asked if they showed the photo around the hotel, McKinley said: "We conducted an investigation, and again, we were still unable to corroborate or confirm that it was indeed her."

The person who contacted police said the person suspected to be Mariam tried to sell crafts to him; however, there was just the one tip, McKinley said, adding, "again, we haven't been able to confirm that at all."

On Dec. 2, RCMP in Okotoks issued a news release saying a young woman matching Makhniashvili's description had been trying to sell crafts to local businesses. That occurred on Oct. 27, Mariam's 18th birthday. She went missing on Sept. 14.

Okotoks is at least an eight-hour drive to the south and east of Grande Prairie.

After the Okotoks news broke, Toronto police said there was no evidence to corroborate the tip.

Vakhtang Makhniashvili, Mariam's father, told CTV News on Thursday that his family was "being cautious" about the claim of a sighting in Alberta. He urged the public to keep their eyes open and the police informed.

McKinley said Toronto police have asked them to circulate Mariam's picture in the Grande Prairie area.

The story so far

She had walked to Forest Heights Collegiate Institute with her brother George. Instead of going in the back door with him, she said she would go in the front door as it was closer to her first-period class. That was the last confirmed sighting of her.

Since then, police have conducted an intensive search for the girl, who turned 18 on Oct. 27.

They recently concluded a canvass of 6,000 people in her neighbourhood and nearly another 1,000 at her school. Police said all those interviews generated no new leads.

Other extraordinary measures have included:

  • two aerial searches of parks and ravines
  • seizing computers from two local libraries she frequented
  • making appeals at three high schools

The only solid clue has been the discovery of the backpack Mariam had on the day she went missing. It was discovered Oct. 8 at 130 Eglinton Ave. E., which is a few kilometres away from her school. But police have no evidence to show Mariam put it there.

Toronto police say even at this stage, they can't yet say whether Mariam is the victim of foul play, whether she willingly ran away or whether something else happened.

Mariam's parents have maintained that running away would be very much out of character for her.

The girl and her brother came to Canada in late June from the Republic of Georgia to reunite with their parents, who had been working in the United States for the previous five years.

Mariam had a limited grasp of English. She left her passport at home.

Police say she hasn't left any type of trail in terms of communications or financial transactions. There's no indication she has tried to contact friends or relatives back in Georgia. She has no known connections to the Calgary area.

Mariam is white, 5'3" with light brown, shoulder-length hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing black jeans with front and back pockets and buttons as well as a baby blue, long-sleeved V-neck shirt. She was wearing a waist-length blue jean jacket.

Anyone with information is asked to call Toronto police at 416-808-5300, or to call Crime Stoppers at 416-222-8477. Members of the public can also send in tips online at www.222tips.com, or they can text TOR and a message to CRIMES (274637).