Police Investigating After Woman’s Body Found Near the Ganaraska River in Port Hope

Pete Fisher
2 years ago
• Categories: Local, Photo Gallery, Police Blotter

The community of Port Hope are in shock after a deceased female was found on Thursday, May 19, 2022.

Members of the OCEAP (Ontario Community Emergency Assistance Program) Search and Rescue had been conducting a search for 29-year-old Madi Chard who has been missing since April 19, 2022.

OCEAP along with members of the Port Hope Police Service had been searching throughout the day starting at the former MTO lot off Howard Street.

Teams searched the grounds and inside buildings to look for any clue into the disappearance of Chard.

After the area was cleared, search teams moved down to search the area along the Ganaraska River by Caroline Street and around 3 p.m. found a deceased female.

One police source said the body was found “off the beaten path in a secluded area.”

It’s unknown how long the body had been at the location or if it is the missing woman.

Caroline Street in the area of where the body was found was closed off along with the path on the east side of the Ganaraska River from Jocelyn Street to Barrett Street.

Two detectives with the Criminal Investigations Branch of the Ontario Provincial Police arrived on scene at approximately 5:30 p.m. to assist in the investigation along with members of the Port Hope Criminal Investigations Branch.

The OPP Forensic Identification Unit will also be assisting in the investigation.

In the early stages of the search for Chard, Peterborough Police Service assisted Port Hope Police using a drone that flew from approximately 400′ and as low as one foot from Corbett’s dam to Lake Ontario for a clues in the woman’s disappearance.

Port Hope Police Chief Bryant Wood said, “in this particular case, we need to look at not only how the person died, but how the body arrived at that spot.”

The body will be taken to the Coroner’s Office in Kingston for an autopsy and identification.