On Wednesday, March 31, 2021, OPP officer Jean-Francois Meloche became a hero for his part in helping locate a toddler lost in the woods.
On July 20, provincial constable Jean-Francois Meloche of the Hawkesbury ERT Team was presented with a Deputy Commissioners Citation.
Jude Leyton, four years old at the time, had gone missing from a South Frontenac Township property owned by his family.
The search spanned a wide stretch of forest and involved 100 police officers, volunteers, helicopters, canines and more.
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As the search stretched into days, police began to wind down the search.
Just an hour after the reduction was announced, Jude was found safe at a pond approximately 980 metres from where he was last seen.
Fast forward over a year and Const. Meloche was recognized for his efforts in the search.
A press release from the OPP on Wednesday read:
“Inspector Chis McGillis of the Hawkesbury Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) formally recognized Provincial Constable Jean Francois MELOCHE, member of the Hawkesbury ERT team, for receiving a Deputy Commissioners Citation for being part of the search and rescue efforts made in finding Jude Leyton, 4 years old at the time, in March 2021 in the South Frontenac area.”
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