‘Keep children indoors,’ police warn after suspected animal attack on Ontario child

Police are warning residents in a rural eastern Ontario town to “keep children indoors or under close supervision” after a child was found with serious injuries from a suspected animal attack.

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) initially put the warning out Tuesday on social media. The force said Upper Ottawa Valley OPP was investigating an overnight incident at around 12:30 a.m. in Quadeville, southeast of Barry’s Bay and about 170 km away from Ottawa.

OPP said although it “appears to be an isolated incident” the child suffered serious, potentially life-threatening injuries and investigators were working to determine the cause of the child’s injuries.

In an update on Wednesday, the OPP said its investigators suspect this to have been an animal attack but that further testing and analysis is required.

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As a precaution, police asked parents in the Quadeville area to keep their small children indoors or under close supervision. That warning is still in place on Wednesday.

The child remains in hospital recovering and investigators are working with medical officials as well as the Ministry of Natural Resources as part of the investigation, police said.

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Anyone with information or video is asked to contact police.

There was previously an alert put out for a missing 8-year-old child last seen in Quadeville.