The family of a man accused in the confinement and sexual assault of a 16-year-old boy say they are saddened, but not surprised, after the man’s body was found in northern Ontario.
Police say foul play is not suspected in the death of 31-year-old Wayne Alan Cunningham, whose body was found in a wooded area of Long Lac around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
“The body was found during a ground search of the area by the emergency response team of Ontario Provincial Police,” confirms RCMP Sgt. Alain LeBlanc.
Cunningham’s body was found near a 2003 Hyundai Elantra that was recovered earlier in the day.
David James LeBlanc, Cunningham’s boyfriend of 11 years, was found wandering in the same area Sunday.
Police in Nova Scotia are waiting for word from police in Ontario when to transport him back to the province where the alleged incident took place.
Police allege a 16-year-old boy was taken to a home in Upper Chelsea, N.S., held captive and sexually assaulted for 10 to 14 days.
Police say the boy managed to escape and ran to a nearby home for help.
According to court documents filed by police last week, the boy was abducted while sleeping on the streets of Halifax. He woke up in the back of a van and was driven to a residence where two men held him captive and sexually assaulted him over several days.
LeBlanc and Cunningham were charged with sexual assault and forcible confinement in connection with the case, prompting a nationwide manhunt for the pair after they fled the province following the teen’s escape.
Cunningham’s parents spoke to CTV News today and said they expected police would find their son dead.
They say Cunningham was diabetic and required daily insulin shots. His father says his son likely wasn’t eating properly or taking his medications and could have died after slipping into a diabetic coma.
Police confirm there is no indication of foul play at this time.
Many residents in the small community of Liverpool - where Cunningham grew up - expressed relief at the end of the search.
“I am glad that is it over and now they just have to determine what to do with Mr. LeBlanc,” says area resident Wayne Oickle.
“As close a community that Liverpool is, and Wayne went to school with my boys, and I think we should give respect to his family,” says Bernadette Hartlen. “God love them and him too.”
“It’s an end to a sad, sad thing, except for the young boy who will have to live with it for the rest of his life,” says Margaret Joudrey.
Former sheriff Dave Wamboldt once drove Cunningham to jail.
“He was nice, but he was different,” says Wamboldt. “But everybody is different. I am glad they found them.”
Cunningham’s family is waiting for an autopsy to be completed before making funeral arrangements.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Kelland Sundahl
