Quebec man arrested in Amber Alert case injured, transferred to Ontario hospital

Ugo Fredette, the man involved in an Amber Alert where a six-year-old boy went missing for almost 24 hours, was transferred by ambulance after his bail hearing to a hospital in Ontario, where hewaskept overnight.

Sgt. CarolleDionne, the spokesperson for Ontario Provincial Police, said that the injuries occurred Saturday afternoon sometime between 2 and 3:30 p.m. and required medical attention.

The OPP will not say how Fredette became injuredordivulge the nature of the man's injuries, but say that his planned transfer back to Quebec will depend on his hospital evaluation.

• The latest: Search for missing Yvon Lacasse resumes, Ugo Fredette still in hospital

Fredette was being held in custody in Renfrew, where Radio-Canada,CBC'sFrench-language services, reported he was first taken to hospital Saturday.

Sources told CBC and Radio-Canadahe was latertransferredto Ottawa's Civic Hospital. OPP vehicles were at the hospital Saturday night, territory generally not covered by the provincial police's mandate.

In a phone call with CBC News Saturday night, Dionne said she could not confirm Fredette's whereabouts, citing the Privacy Act, but said he would be kept in an Ontario hospital overnight.

Fredette appeared at a bail hearingin an Ontario weekend court viavideo conference around noon Saturday. The name ofthe boy can no longer be released as the boy is now in the care of Quebec youth services.

Fredette was found safe on Friday in Dacre, Ont., not far from the Quebec border, after an Amber Alert.

During the bail hearing, the judge and Crown decided Fredette would be released into the custody of Quebec provincial police to answer any charges issued by them, said Dionne.

• Quebec boy who was subject of Amber Alert found safe, Ugo Fredettein custody

"The Srethas been informed of this decision and they are on their way,"Dionnesaid at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

She said charges relatingto offenses in the province of Quebec take precedence over charges theOPP would issue. The OPP'sinvestigation is still ongoing.

"Right now the priority is on the SQ investigation," Dionne said.

She said it wasn't clear when the SQwould arrive to pick up Fredette at theRenfrew detachment of the OPP where he was in custody, about 90 kilometres west of Ottawa.

The SQ would not comment on the situation when contacted by CBC News early Saturday afternoon.

Expanding Amber Alerts

Quebec Premier PhilippeCouillard said he's extremely relieved that the child is safe.

"Each Quebecer saw themselves as the parent, or brother, sister, saw themselves as involved," Couillardsaid Saturday morning.

He added that expanding Amber Alerts to reachcellphones is "in the works."

He noted that access to cellphonesfalls under federal jurisdiction, but that the province is still working to move in that direction.

An Amber Alert was triggered in this case when a womanwas found dead at a houseinSaint-Eustache Thursday.

Police have classified Vronique Barbe's death as a homicide, but did not releaseany details.

Boy with Quebec's youth protection services

The six-year-old at the centre of the Amber Alert was transferredto youth protection services in Quebec around midnight Friday.

Dionnesaid the boy was in the care of child services in Ontario before being transferred back to Quebec by theSretduQubecand the province's youth protection services, theDirecteurde la protection de lajeunesse(DPJ).

She said the DPJ will determine what will happen to the boynext.

Fredette and the boy werefound by Ontario Provincial Policelate Fridayafternoon. They had been missing since Thursday.

Police are now searching for 71-year-old Lachute, Que.,resident Yvon Lacasse, whoseSUV Fredettewas driving at the time of his arrest.

Lacasse is described as bald with brown eyes. He is fivefeet four inches tall and weighs around 155 pounds.

• Sret du Qubec ask for public's help in finding Yvon Lacasse