Toronto police say a 29-year-old man accused in the death of his three-week-old daughter will likely have his aggravated assault charge upgraded to second-degree murder.
Police said they responded to a call just before 11 a.m. last Thursday to an apartment building on Pharmacy Avenue in the city’s east end.
Authorities said paramedics were the first to arrive on scene but called in officers as they noticed the baby was severely injured.
“When we arrived on scene we noticed the paramedics were working on an infant, three weeks old, who had obvious signs of trauma,” Const. David Hopkinson said Monday.
“The baby’s condition was very bad, so the baby was rushed to hospital via an emergency run.”
Global News has learned it was the child’s mother who called 911.
Police said the baby was placed on life support but succumbed to her injuries on Sunday.
Matthew Bouffard, 29, of Toronto, was initially charged with aggravated assault.
Police said an autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday.
The baby’s death is the city’s 87th homicide of 2018.
VIDEO: Police were still on scene at an apartment building in Toronto’s east end on Sunday, three days after authorities responded to a baby hurt in an alleged assault on Thursday.
–With a file from Caryn Lieberman