Calgary homicide detectives investigate June death of child found unresponsive at day home

Calgary police announced Friday they are investigating the sudden death of a child who was found unresponsive at a local day home in June.

At around 11:30 a.m. on June 28, police said they responded to a call of an unresponsive child at a day home in the southeast neighbourhood of Deer Run.

Police said the 21-month-old girl was not breathing when officers arrived. She was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead.

The Calgary Police Service Homicide Unit is investigating the child’s death.

“Any time a death occurs in an infant, we, in the homicide unit, undertake that investigation,” Staff Sgt. Colin Chisholm explained at a Friday news conference.

“A week or two after that incident, somebody came forward with some information in relation to the day home and the day home provider which caused us some concern.”

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Police said the day home, which was located at 271 Deerview Drive S.E., was not licensed and is no longer in operation.

The owner of the day home no longer lives at the address, according to police.

The infant that died was in the care of the day home provider and didn’t live at the home.

0:57 Calgary police looking for anyone who had experiences with day home where child died

Chisholm said the day home was in operation for “a number of months” prior to the infant’s death, with anywhere from 20-40 children in the operator’s care during that time.

Officers would like to speak to anyone who had a child in the care of the day home before June 28.

“We have had concerns, and we’re following up those concerns,” Chisholm said. “We have concerns with respect to the way the child may have died.”

Anyone who had a child in care at the day home is asked to contact the CPS at 403-266-1234. Anonymous information can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.