Body of missing Trent student found
OPP helicopter, police dogs, volunteers helped with search after visually impaired student was reported missing on Friday
The body of missing 24-year-old Trent University student Brett Leblanc was recovered in the Otonabee River at about 3:15 p.m. Monday by the OPP underwater search and recovery unit, city police said.
The body was found off of Armour Road, near the Adamson Power Station’s hydroelectric dam by Nassau Mills Road.
The coroner has been called in to investigate, police said.
Leblanc, a psychology major at Trent who is legally blind, was reported missing Friday after not being seen since Tuesday.
A memorial service is planned at a later date.
Born in Cobourg, Leblanc graduated in 2014 from St. Mary Secondary School in Cobourg.
“I was this young man’s vice principal many, many years ago. He loved baseball, the Blue Jays and teasing me about the Red Sox,” stated Andy Sawada, who is now principal at St. John School in Peterborough. “He was a great young man and I am praying for his family during this painful and difficult time.”
Leblanc started playing sledge hockey at age 10, playing for teams including the Northumberland Predators and the Kawartha Blazers.
His mother, Cheryl Leblanc, had issued an emotional video plea through social media on Sunday to anyone knowing his whereabouts to contact police and called on people to help with the search.
“Our family would like to thank (everyone for) all the many prayers and shares and the search help,” she stated on Facebook late Monday.
“Brett has been found and at this time
we would ask you to respect our privacy. Thank you once more.”
The university is providing counselling and supports for students and employees in the wake of his death.
“The entire Trent community has pulled together in thought and action in the hopes that he would be found safe,” Trent president Leo Groarke stated.
“Our deepest sympathies are with Brett’s family and friends. We will be guided by the family around commemoration, and I urge anyone who needs support to reach out to the resources we have available.”
The services available include:
For students:
> Counselling services;
> Peterborough: 705-748-1386 or counselling@trentu.ca;
> Multi-faith Network through Trent Spiritual Affairs: volunteer chaplains and community liaisons from various faith traditions in the community.
For staff and faculty:
Lifeworks: Employee Assistance Plan (EAP)
In Peterborough, immediate crisis support is also available through:
> 4 Counties Crisis (1-866-9959933);
> Crisis Services Canada (1833-456-4566);
> The emergency department at Peterborough Regional Hospital.
City police, along with Ontario Provincial Police officers, city firefighters and search volunteers, began searching Saturday for Leblanc along the banks of the river at the campus and continued the search Monday after Sunday’s snowfall.
City police called in an OPP police helicopter to help in the search due to the complexity of terrain surrounding Trent University, said Const. Keith Calderwood, the interim media spokesperson for city police.
“We had the OPP helicopter or aviation support services from the OPP. Yesterday, prior to the snowstorm and they were kind of in the air for support there and with negative results obviously,” Calderwood said prior to the body being found.
“The helicopter has some amazing technology. It gives you a better vantage point opposed to going in on the ground into a wooded area and overtop of water as well.”
The searchers were also using police dogs, but they were impacted by Sunday’s snow.
“The way canines are trained, they are trained to use the scent,” Calderwood said. “Any scent that would be in the grass prior to the snow falling will be more difficult for them to pick up.
“Any evidence could now be covered by snow, so anything that would point in a certain direction, that is the kind of complexity with a major snowfall.
“There is a lot of wooded areas around there as well, so basically, we have received enough information to narrow that area, but not enough to get there just yet.”
At least a couple dozen volunteers helped police with the search.