York Regional Police ‘failed’ to protect Wasaga Beach abduction victim: Lawyer

The lawyer representing the family of Elnaz Hajtamiri is questioning whether York Regional Police did enough to protect the 37-year-old woman leading up to the Jan. 12 abduction in Wasaga Beach.

"Elnaz has been failed," said lawyer Devin Bains.

Bains said Hajtamiri contacted York Regional Police after a violent attack by two men in a parking garage in Richmond Hill weeks before the alleged kidnapping.

A police release stated Hajtamiri was "struck with a frying pan" in the head during the attack in December by two men, who have yet to be identified.

The assault left Hajtamiri with a head wound requiring roughly 40 stitches.

"Elnaz did everything she should have done, everything she could have done to protect herself," Bains said. "She contacted the police at all junctures of her ordeal, and she presented herself as a person who is obviously very vulnerable and in imminent danger."

Police confirmed they seized a tracking device, which Hajtamiri's family said was found on her vehicle following the parking garage assault.

Weeks later, three men dressed in police gear claiming to have a warrant for her arrest forcibly dragged Hajtamiri barefoot through the snow from a house on Trailwood Place in Wasaga Beach.

"The imminent danger of escalation of harm to her was obvious and would have been obvious to any conscientious investigator," Bains said.

"She doesn't appear to have been protected at all," he added.

Elnaz Hajtamiri suffered a head wound requiring roughly 40 stitches after an assault in a parking garage in Richmond Hill, Ont., on Dec. 20, 2021 (Photo Courtesy: Hajtamiri family member)

To date, police have not arrested anyone in connection with the abduction.

Mohamad Lilo was arrested and charged with criminal harassment nine days after Hajtamiri went missing.

Bains said she was the victim of criminal harassment by Lilo, her former boyfriend.

He is scheduled to appear in court again in April.

Meanwhile, Bains maintains there is no reason to believe Hajtamiri isn't alive and said the focus needs to be on bringing her home, "regardless of the failures that contributed to her being missing."

"We have to remember that this isn't a homicide investigation. This is an investigation into an abduction," Bains said.

In a statement to CTV News, York Regional Police (YRP) said it is working closely with the OPP and has been conducting a "thorough investigation."

"However, we certainly understand that for a family going through what her family is facing, nothing will be enough until they get the answers they deserve. We will continue to work diligently on this until it can be solved."

The statement noted, "This remains an active, ongoing investigation between both YRP and the OPP, and there continues to be significant work to be done."

Police encourage anyone with information regarding Elnaz Hajtamiri's whereabouts to contact the dedicated tip line at 1-833-728-3415 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.