Police watchdog investigates contact with 20-year-old before River Lea death
The IOPC is reviewing police contact and evidence after Myley French died in the River Lea in September; no finding of officer wrongdoing has been announced.
By Keep Updated UK Newsroom
Published:
Independent investigation announced
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating contact between Hertfordshire Constabulary officers and a 20-year-old man who died after entering the River Lea in September.
Myley French was approached by officers in High Street, Stanstead Abbotts, on 14 September 2026. The watchdog said the officers recognised him as someone wanted for failing to appear for bail. After a brief interaction, he ran away.
What the watchdog has established
The IOPC says body-worn video shows officers gave chase but quickly lost sight of Mr French when he climbed over a fence before entering the water. A member of the public subsequently alerted officers that someone was in the river. Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service was called, and a body was located following a search. Mr French was pronounced dead at the scene.
The watchdog launched an independent investigation on 16 September following a referral from the force. Its role is to establish the circumstances and examine police decisions and actions, not to assume wrongdoing occurred.
Evidence and cause of death
Investigators are examining CCTV, officers' statements, radio communications and accounts from witnesses who saw events near the river. The IOPC has also met Mr French's family to explain the investigation process.
A post-mortem examination took place on 22 September, but the final cause of death was still awaited when the watchdog issued its update on 7 October. The inquest had not yet opened.
Questions still to be answered
The important outstanding issues include the precise sequence of events, the officers' assessment of risk and the findings of the post-mortem and any eventual inquest.
There has been no announced determination that an officer broke the law or breached professional standards. That point matters when reporting a death that happened after police contact: an independent inquiry is a safeguard for establishing the facts, not itself proof of misconduct.
Sources & Further Information
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