A Quebec boy at the centre of an Amber Alert has been found safe just southwest of the town of Renfrew.
OPP Staff Sergeant Carolle Dionne says six-year-old Louka Fredette was found near the Dacre area around 5:00pm Friday. Police found the boy with his father, 41-year-old Ugo Fredette, who has been arrested.
Sureté du Quebec began investigating after the boy first went missing from his home in Saint Eustache on Thursday afternoon. Officers also found the boy’s mother, 41-year-old Véronique Barbe, dead in the home. Communication Sergeant Daniel Thibodeau confirms the death is being treated as suspicious.
From there, a manhunt ensued, spanning from the Montreal suburb to the Dacre area.
As the investigation continues, both the OPP and the Sureté du Quebec have confirmed they will be working together to determine what happens next. Thibodeau says both police forces will be working together to have the suspect transferred back to Quebec.
As for the young boy, both the OPP and Sureté du Quebec say his safety and well-being are the priority at this time. Thibodeau says this has definitely been a traumatic experience for the six-year-old Fredette. Although it’s too soon to know, police in Quebec will be taking their time to make sure he is safe, and to let the family know. From there, he is expected to either be transferred into a family member’s custody, or put in the care of child protective services.