A member of the Edmonton Police Service’s Homicide Unit addressed reporters on Friday night to update them about their investigation into the death of a toddler found on the city’s north side and to plead for tips from the public.
Police are referring to the death as “suspicious.”
“Someone out there is missing this little boy and we need assistance, not only to identify him, but to find his family and the people around him that will help us put together the events that led to this,” said Staff Sgt. Duane Hunter of the Edmonton Police Service’s Homicide Section.
According to Hunter, officers responded to the area of 153 Avenue and Castle Downs Road at around 2:30 p.m. after a passerby discovered the body of a little boy next to a church.
“Our focus right now in the investigation is primarily to identify the young toddler,” Hunter said. “We can say from the size of the toddler that we estimate his age at 20 months.”
Hunter said a number of articles of clothing were found next to the boy before clarifying the boy was not wearing them.
In an attempt to identify the boy, police have released photos of the clothing: a snowsuit, a Batman shirt and runners. Photos of the clothing items can be seen in a photo gallery below.
Anyone who recognizes the toddler’s clothing items is asked to contact the Edmonton Police Service at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone. Anonymous information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.
Watch below: On Friday, police said they were investigating the death of a young boy in the area of 155 Avenue and Castle Downs Road in north Edmonton.
Hunter described the investigation as “fluid” and did not take questions from the media, saying he did not want to jeopardize the investigation.
He added an autopsy was pending but did not say how the boy is believed to have died.
At least seven police vehicles were on scene shortly after 4:30 p.m., near Good Shepherd Anglican Church.
Watch below: Police held a press conference Friday night in order to call on the public for help as they try to identify a young toddler found dead in north Edmonton. The boy’s death is considered suspicious but police aren’t saying much else. Shallima Maharaj has the details.