Baby boy allegedly killed by Toronto mother identified

Four-month-old Azuri Bacchas has been identified as the city's 79th homicide victim of 2024. (Toronto Police Service)

An infant who police say was killed by their mother in midtown Toronto last week has been identified by police.

In a news release issued Wednesday, police released a photo of four-month-old Azuri Bacchas, who died in hospital after he was reported missing by his father.

Bacchas’s mother, 30-year-old Karessa Edwards, has been charged with second-degree murder in his death.

Police were first called to a condo building in the area of Roselawn and Marlee avenues, northwest of the Allen Road and Eglinton Avenue, just before 11:30 a.m. on Nov. 20 for a report of a missing child.

When officers arrived on scene, they located a child who was suffering from critical injuries and life-saving measures were performed. Bacchas was pronounced dead in hospital a short time later.

The cause of death has not been released by investigators.

Edwards was initially charged with failing to provide the necessaries of life, but that charge was later upgraded to second-degree murder.

It’s unclear where exactly Bacchas was located, however officers were seen outside a garbage chute on the eighth floor of the building which was blocked off with police tape.

Police say Bacchas is the city’s 79th homicide victim of 2024.