A St. Catharines man accused of killing his seven-year-old stepson appeared briefly in a courtroom in that city on Thursday.
Justin Kuijer faces a charge of first-degree murder in the death of Nathan Dumas, as well as attempted murder in an attack on a bank employee.
Kuijer sat with his head down after he entered court, clad in an orange jumpsuit. The judge formally upgraded the charge of murder against him from second-degree to first.
Behind him, one of his sisters could be seen crying.
He is scheduled to appear in court again via video link from jail on April 19.
Several friends and family members of Kuijer declined to speak to reporters outside the courthouse.
The 43-year-old former roofing company owner was arrested Tuesday afternoon in Kenora, Ontario, after a four-day nationwide manhunt.
Kenora is about two-thousand kilometres away from St. Catharines, where police were called Friday morning after reports of an assault on an RBC employee.
Across town, a relative discovered Nathan critically injured in a home above the family's sandwich shop.
The boy was rushed to hospital with undisclosed injuries and died the next morning.
A funeral is planned for Friday in neighbouring Thorold, Ontario.
Standing outside the courthouse on Thursday, Kuijer’s lawyer, Scott Reid, declined to comment on the details of the case.
He said he would have to make a formal application to apply for bail in this case, as his client is charged with murder.
- With files from The Canadian Press
