The desperate search for a missing 14-year-old Jewish girl in Toronto has taken an even darker turn after posters pleading for help finding her were ripped down across the city.

The cruel act has her worried family accusing vandals of sabotaging efforts to bring their daughter home safely.

Esther, known to loved ones as Esti, has now been missing for more than a week, with concerned relatives warning that every lost poster could mean one less chance of somebody recognizing the vulnerable teenager.

The teen was last seen shortly after midnight on May 16 near Bathurst Street and Hotspur Road in North York, according to Toronto police. 

Authorities say she had previously been spotted near Earl Bales Park and was not wearing shoes when she disappeared.

Police have since launched a Level 1 search, the highest category used by the Toronto Police Service for missing-person investigations, mobilizing specialized units including canine teams, mounted officers and marine crews as concern for the teenager's welfare continues to mount.

Over the weekend, investigators released a new surveillance image believed to show Esther inside a restaurant on the night she vanished.

Police also created a dedicated website and public tip portal, urging residents to submit photos, security footage and any possible sightings.

But while volunteers plastered neighborhoods with flyers and spent days combing through streets, parks and transit routes, some of the posters began disappearing almost as quickly as they were put up.

Several torn and partially shredded missing-person notices were spotted at intersections across Toronto, including in North York and downtown areas, sparking outrage among community members already fearing the worst over Esther's disappearance.

The girl's family said they were horrified to learn that appeals for information about their daughter had been ripped down.

'Helping bring a missing child home safely should never be political or controversial,' family spokesperson Maureen Leshem said in a statement provided to local media.

'Tearing down posters of a missing girl goes against the compassion, decency, and humanity Canadians pride themselves on.'

Leshem described the vandalism as 'deeply disturbing and cruel,' saying volunteers who had spent countless hours searching for Esther were now watching their efforts being undermined.

'When a family is desperately trying to find their child, this kind of behavior should concern every person in our city,' she said.

'Right now, the only focus should be on finding Esti. Instead, volunteers who have spent days and nights searching, postering, and raising awareness are watching those efforts deliberately undermined.'

The incidents have heightened anxiety inside Toronto's Jewish community, with the family expressing fears that antisemitism could potentially be playing a role.

Leshem said that amid rising tensions and growing unease experienced by Jewish communities across Canada, there was concern the destruction of the posters may not have been random.

'Whether or not that is the intent, the impact is the same: it interferes with efforts to spread awareness and could ultimately hinder the search for Esti,' she said.

The ripped posters also drew comparisons online to incidents involving posters of Israeli hostages being torn down in cities around the world following the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023 - a parallel that has only deepened emotions surrounding the case.

Toronto police acknowledged the reports had upset many residents but said investigators remain focused on finding the missing teenager.

Police spokesperson Nadine Ramadan said officers understood 'reports of these posters being torn down are upsetting for the community,' but noted that removing posters is 'not necessarily a criminal offence.'

'Our focus remains on the investigation to find Esther,' Ramadan said.

Authorities have stressed there is currently no evidence Esther was abducted, meaning the case does not meet the threshold for an Amber Alert under Canadian guidelines.

Police say Level 1 searches are exceedingly rare. Of the thousands of missing-person cases handled annually in Toronto, only a handful are escalated to that classification.

Esther, who has previously been diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum, disappeared without her cellphone, shoes or a coat.

Investigators say she was last seen wearing grey sweatpants and a turquoise or green long-sleeved sweater with writing on the front.

As the search stretches into another agonizing week, the family announced a $25,000 reward for information leading to Esther's safe return.

Meanwhile, hundreds of volunteers have joined the effort to bring the teenager home.

Community patrol group Shomrim Toronto said volunteers had received special permission to continue search operations during the Shavuot holiday and throughout Shabbat as crews spread out across neighborhoods distributing updated flyers and canvassing streets.

'We wish to express our deep gratitude to the volunteers who have dedicated hundreds of hours to the search for Esti,' the organization said in a statement.

'We remain fully committed to maximizing our efforts to ensure her safe return.'

At an emotional press conference last week, Esther's mother, Shira, made a direct plea to her missing daughter.

'We love you so very much. We miss you terribly,' she said. 'You're not in trouble. Nobody is angry with you, no matter what has happened. All we care about is knowing that you are okay.'

Family members say Esther is highly intelligent, sociable and trusting - traits they fear could leave her vulnerable.

'I'm afraid she'll be too naive and trust people who don't mean well,' her mother said. 'It's really, really concerning.'