Police believe woman killed in Whitby was victim of intimate partner violence
A woman killed in Whitby over the weekend is believed to be the victim of intimate partner violence, according to police in Durham Region.
Latonya Anderson, 34, was found fighting for her life at a residence in the town east of Toronto on Saturday after her husband, Troy Moulton, 33, went to a local police station to speak with officers.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
“From that conversation, it sent officers to come to an address on Kressman Court in Whitby," Sgt. Joanne Bortoluss told CTV News Toronto. "They did attempt life-saving measures, however they were not successful and she was pronounced deceased on the scene.”
Moulton has been charged with second-degree murder following Anderson’s death. It isn’t clear how she died, but police say they’re not aware of any weapons being found at the scene.
Durham police said Anderson is the 12th homicide victim of 2023.
She’s being remembered as a “vivacious and ambitious woman” by her employer, the Scarborough Health Network (SHN), which said she worked as patient support representative at Centenary Hospital.
“Latonya never hesitated to help her team, including her willingness to jump in and work as a personal support worker during the pandemic,” Penny Karafile, director of SHN’s support services and business development, said in a statement issued to CTV News Toronto.
“This tragic loss will be felt across our organization and community,” Karafile said.
According to a GoFundMe campaign set up for Anderson’s family, the Whitby resident leaves behind a 12-year-old son and would have turned 35 years old on Nov. 8.
Anderson’s death comes just five days into November, which is domestic violence awareness month, and marks a heartbreaking but unsurprising trend, according to Jasminder Sekhon of Victim Services Toronto.
“We know that a woman is killed every 48 hours in Canada and a woman is killed once a week by her partner in Canada," Sekhon told CTV News Toronto in an interview.
Of the 17,000 to 20,000 calls received annually by Victims Services Toronto, which offers confidential support for anyone who has experienced crime or sudden tragedy, 70 per cent of those are about intimate partner violence, according to Sekhon.
"We are not the police. You can reach out to Victim Services Toronto and get the resource you need, without ever having to report," Sekhon said.
The investigation into Anderson’s death is ongoing, police said. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Durham police.
With files from CTV News Toronto's Allison Hurst
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10,000 Zantac lawsuits in U.S.: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.