CORNWALL, Ontario – A body has been found in the Cornwall Canal near Haulage Road, and the coroner’s office is investigating.
Cornwall police Const. Dan Cloutier said Saturday afternoon the coroner’s office is now the lead agency on the case.
A body was removed from the canal earlier in the day. It’s the second time this week police have been forced to recover the remains of an individual. Days ago a body was found near the St. Lawrence River at the bottom end of Avonmore Road near County Road 2.
Saturday the soccer fields in the city’s west end were the scene of tragedy. Yellow police tape lined the area and several Cornwall Fire Service trucks were at the scene – one of which was towing an inflatable rescue boat.
Police got a call from a person walking their dog in the area at between 7 and 8 a.m. Saturday, reporting the grisly find.
Witness Chantal Dean said the incident is resonating.
“(It’s) too close to home,” she said, adding her mother lives in the area. “We pulled up at around 9 a.m.
“People were going into the water to hopefully rescue someone and a black bag came out.”
It is unclear where the body was found in the canal, be it in the middle of the water or along the shore.
Cloutier said more information would likely be available Monday or Tuesday.
