WATCH: Three-year-old Elijah Marsh’s life was cut short after he wandered alone into the bitter cold Thursday morning. Marianne Dimain tells us how mourners are showing their support for the little boy and his family.
TORONTO – Donations to an online fundraising campaign to help cover the funeral of three-year-old Elijah Marsh have poured in since the fund was set up on Thursday.
Donations topped $150,000 by 12:30 p.m. Saturday, surpassing the original goal of $20,000 with 1 days left for donations.
Meanwhile, a makeshift memorial continues to grow near an apartment building where the Toronto boy wandered off in the middle of the night and found by police without vital signs Thursday morning.
Marsh, who was dressed only in a shirt and diaper when he went missing, succumbed to his injuries in hospital.
“Your infectious beautiful smile will forever be etched in our hearts,” read a note left at a memorial site in front of the north Toronto apartment where Elijah was reported missing.
“Please shine down on your family to help them through this tragic time. There is no blame, just a young boy being a young boy.”
Linda, who did not want to give out her last name, told reporters at the memorial she drove all the way from north Toronto to pay her respects.
“It shows the hearts of the people in Toronto,” she said. “A tragedy like this affects everybody.”
Justin Kozuch, 36, said Elijah’s death was a “gut-wrenching moment” which prompted his to started the crowdfunding campaign.
“As a parent we go to the ends of the earth to protect our children,” he said. “For me, it was absolutely heartbreaking.”
WATCH: Torontonians are continuing to stop by the growing memorial for Elijah on Neptune Drive.
The outpouring of grief comes a day after police underwent a large-scale operation to find the missing toddler.
Elijah was eventually located in life-threatening condition outside of 91 Baycrest Ave. in a rear yard just after 10 a.m. Thursday, nearly six hours after he wandered off from his grandmother’s apartment unit where he was staying.
Police say the boy was put to bed around 9 p.m. and the family reported him missing at 7:30 a.m.
Security footage from the apartment building captured the child leaving the building lobby alone just after 4 a.m.
A family friend told reporters Thursday morning the child was staying at his grandmother’s apartment unit and that his actual home was nearly 20 minutes away.
“He’s a happy kid. We can’t explain why he went out the door,” said Milly Dyer. “Even if he ventured out the building, the building is locked. If he got out, he can’t get back into the building.”
Toronto community leaders, including the mayor and police chief, expressed their sadness and grief.
“It’s just an unspeakable tragedy. The chief told me this morning he was missing,” Toronto Mayor John Tory told reporters inside Toronto police headquarters Thursday morning.
“It’s terribly cold out, tragic set of circumstances,” Chief Bill Blair said. “I think every Torontonian will feel the loss.”
– With files from The Canadian Press
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