According to the Toronto Star; in September, 2012, the terrified teen arrived at a Lunenburg County resident’s doorstep, for help, wearing nothing but a sweatshirt, and chained at his ankles and wrists. The 78-year-old homeowner didn’t allow the desperate youth into her home but called police. Meanwhile, he went to another neighbor’s home who cut the chains off.
The 16-year-old boy was sleeping on the streets when he was kidnapped and woke up in a van, where he was then transported to a stranger’s home, forcibly confined with chains and sexually assaulted for what appears to be over a period of 10 days to 14 weeks before he escaped. The captors apparently even talked about selling the teen.
The boy was treated for non-life threatening injuries and police say he is now safe.
A manhunt was issued for 31-year-old Wayne Cunningham and 47-year-old David Leblanc, both charged with sexual assault and forcible confinement. Citing privacy issues, the cops wouldn’t comment on how the suspects knew each other, or the victim, or what their criminal pasts were. It might just be me but I think public safety should trump the privacy of a couple of creeps like these guys.
Leblanc was arrested in Ontario a few days later after someone reported a man wandering around without shoes in near-freezing temperatures. He is now in custody to face his charges. About a week later, the second suspect, Wayne Cunningham was found dead in a wooded area. Details are unclear if he took his own life, but foul play isn’t suspected.
It seems all too easy to abduct and harm the homeless. Many cases of children disappearing off the street often go unsolved, and just as often, unnoticed. A lucky escape and some good police work at least bring a happy-ish ending to this sad story.
The 16-year-old boy was sleeping on the streets when he was kidnapped and woke up in a van, where he was then transported to a stranger’s home, forcibly confined with chains and sexually assaulted for what appears to be over a period of 10 days to 14 weeks before he escaped. The captors apparently even talked about selling the teen.
The boy was treated for non-life threatening injuries and police say he is now safe.
A manhunt was issued for 31-year-old Wayne Cunningham and 47-year-old David Leblanc, both charged with sexual assault and forcible confinement. Citing privacy issues, the cops wouldn’t comment on how the suspects knew each other, or the victim, or what their criminal pasts were. It might just be me but I think public safety should trump the privacy of a couple of creeps like these guys.
Leblanc was arrested in Ontario a few days later after someone reported a man wandering around without shoes in near-freezing temperatures. He is now in custody to face his charges. About a week later, the second suspect, Wayne Cunningham was found dead in a wooded area. Details are unclear if he took his own life, but foul play isn’t suspected.
It seems all too easy to abduct and harm the homeless. Many cases of children disappearing off the street often go unsolved, and just as often, unnoticed. A lucky escape and some good police work at least bring a happy-ish ending to this sad story.
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