WATCH: A 17-year-old in Winnipeg is accused of dumping a toddler in a recycling bin, in -30 C cold, early New Year’s Day. As Tamara Forlanski reports, the suspect is facing multiple charges.
WINNIPEG – A teen has been charged with abandoning a child, assault and criminal negligence causing bodily harm after a 19-month-old girl was injured and dumped in a recycling bin on New Year’s Day.
Emergency officials found the child with life-threatening injuries at about 6:30 a.m. in the 500 block of Pritchard Avenue, police said. She was wearing only a diaper and pyjama bottoms and the wind chill was -31, Const. Eric Hofley said. She was taken to hospital and is currently in stable condition.
A 17-year-old who is related to the little girl is accused of leaving her in the recycling bin. He is not her father, Hofley said.
The young man had been at a party at a nearby home when one of the party-goers was chased out and down the street following an altercation, police said.
At that point, the accused teen allegedly took the child, who wasn’t dressed to go outside, and ran out of the house. The teen was not the person who was chased out of the house and didn’t appear to be one of the people involved in the chase, police said. His motive for grabbing the girl is unknown, Hofley said.
A short distance from the house the teen fell and landed on the little girl, injuring her, police allege. He then dumped her in the recycling bin and returned to the home he’d just left, where he got in a fight with a 13-year-old girl, police said.
The person who was originally chased out of the home heard the toddler’s cries and found her in the recycling bin, police said.
That was Chris Keno’s brother.
“He heard crying and found her and brought her inside,” said Keno. “I grabbed her and her face was swollen and she was cold.”
Keno’s girlfriend then called police.
“She was disoriented and she was very confused,” Keno said. “She didn’t start crying until all the cops or paramedics were around her.”
Keno said he doesn’t know what would have happened if his brother didn’t find the girl.
“It was cold in the morning and she wouldn’t have survived too long,” Keno said. “It’s sad.”
The teen who dumped her also faces a charge for consuming alcohol underage.
WATCH: Const. Eric Hofley says it was a tragic and ironic turn of events that a 19-month-old was found in a recycling bin.
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