Toddler found dead at north Edmonton church identified

Global News has learned the identity of the young boy whose body was found in northwest Edmonton Friday afternoon.

Family has identified the toddler as one-year-old Anthony Joseph Raine.

The boy’s aunt, Brandi Raine, posted photos of the toddler on a memorial page on social media.

“(It’s) the worst pain of her life,” said Raine about how her sister, the boy’s mother, took the news when Edmonton police officers knocked on her door late Saturday night. Raine said the young boy was staying with his biological father.

“He played a big role in all of our lives,” she said. “He was always happy, he always smiled, he always made everyone else smile.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "He played a big role in all of our lives," she said. "He was always happy, he always smiled, he always made everyone else smile."

The toddler’s body was discovered next to Good Shepherd Anglican Church Friday afternoon.  Investigators later determined that the boy’s remains were left in the area of 155 Avenue and Castledowns Road three days earlier, on Tuesday, April 18. The details on what happened have not yet been revealed.

READ MORE: Edmontonians and parishioners mourn toddler found dead at north Edmonton church

Police arrested two people in relation to the toddler’s death on Saturday. A 26-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman have been taken into custody and police say charges are pending against both individuals as they work to determine the relationship between the pair and the young boy.

Police said they are not looking for any other suspects. Police said Sunday afternoon they were still interviewing the suspects and expected that process to continue to many hours, so charges had not yet been laid.

Church officials said a vigil for the toddler is being planned for later this week. Details are expected on Monday.

READ MORE:  Police investigate suspicious death of toddler in north Edmonton: ‘Someone out there is missing this little boy’

An autopsy has also been scheduled for Monday morning. Police said more information will come after that process is complete and charges are laid.

The boy’s family has created a GoFundMe page to help cover the costs of a funeral for Anthony.

With files from Shallima Maharaj and Jennifer Ivanov