Woman charged with second-degree murder in death of 3-year-old boy in East York

A 22-year-old woman has been charged with murder in connection with the death of a three-year-old boy in East York earlier this week.

Toronto police were initially dispatched to a residence in the Dawes Road and Chapman Avenue area on Dec. 3 shortly after 12:30 p.m. for a medical call.

Shortly after officers arrived, a three-year-old boy was pronounced dead at the scene.

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An investigation was launched into his death, and police have learned that on Dec. 2, the boy was left in the care of a woman who was not related to him.

That day, she and the boy attended the area of Yonge Street and Bloor Avenue, where they entered an “organization.”

Later, the woman and the boy went inside a washroom, and he was allegedly assaulted.

Police said the two then left the organization and returned to the woman’s home. The next day, she contacted the police, and the boy had died.

On Friday, police announced they had arrested the suspect, Shardanae Cousins-Emily. She has been charged with second-degree murder.

Police have not released the boy’s cause of death. He is the city’s 62nd homicide victim of the year.

Anyone with information is asked to contact homicide investigators at 416-808-7400 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477) or www.222tips.com.