Man, 19, faces criminal negligence charge after child killed in home north of Montreal

A 19-year-old man has been charged with criminal negligence in the death of a young child Monday night in a Montreal suburb.

Yacine Mehennaoui appeared by video at the courthouse in Laval, Que., on Tuesday afternoon. According to his charge sheet, he faces three counts: criminal negligence causing the death of the child; possession of a prohibited, loaded firearm without authorization or a valid permit; and obstruction of justice. The obstruction charge is related to him allegedly trying to destroy evidence.

Court documents say Mehennaoui lived at the home in which the child was found, in Bois-des-Filion, Que., about 20 kilometres north of Montreal.

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The municipal force that initially investigated the killing said three people had been arrested. But Quebec provincial police, who took over the case, said two suspects had been released and that the investigation was ongoing.

A provincial police spokeswoman said Tuesday that the force had taken over the case because it involved a particular type of investigation, but she didn’t specify.

Neither the local police nor the provincial police would say what link existed between the young victim and the suspect.

Police were called to a home at about 5:30 p.m. Monday regarding a young child suffering from serious injuries. Despite attempts at resuscitation, the child, whose age and gender were not made public,was declared dead at the scene.

Forensic technicians were dispatched to the home Monday night and officers canvassed the neighbourhood while provincial police divers searched the nearby Mille-Îles River for evidence linked to the death, but police did not specify what they were looking for. Police would not confirm reports they were searching for a firearm.