Laval police investigate young girl’s death

Laval police are investigating the death of a seven-year-old girl Sunday afternoon in the Chomedey district on Montreal’s north shore.

Police received a call around 2:30 p.m. on Sunday concerning an “inanimate” child at a residence on Bouthillier Street.

Maneuvers were performed on the child who was suffering cardiac arrest, but her death was confirmed at the hospital.

Police Lt. Geneviève Major confirmed Sunday evening that police have not ruled out bodily harm to the girl. But the lieutenant said investigators were waiting for the results of an autopsy before confirming the cause of the child’s death.

On Monday, Laval police spokesperson Stephanie Beshara said the death was considered suspicious.

While the nature of her injuries has not been released, police say officers who responded to the scene were distressed by what they saw.

“They are going to receive the necessary help for that,” Beshara said.

A team of 12 investigators as well as crime scene technicians were at the home on Monday.

“We’re trying to understand what happened to the little girl,” Beshara said.

Seven people, described as close family members by police, were at the house on Sunday.

They have all been interviewed, according to Beshara, as have the neighbours.

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Quebec’s youth protection department has been notified of the situation because two other children live in the residence where the girl’s body was discovered. However, Beshara said the pair was not home at the time of the incident.

Those who live in the area are still trying to come to terms with what has happened.

“I was extremely surprised to hear about this. This is, to me, a safe neighborhood with no stories,” said longtime area resident Nathalie Boucher.

The events have left many area residents feeling unsettled.

“It’s definitely scary ’cause every morning I take my car and I come out by here, and now I’ll forever have to see that house and think about that,” said Arunen Chellan.

“Everyone’s been through a lot in 2020, and that this starting off the year 202,1 it’s just too much for everyone,” said Suryana Permalloo.

Both Chellan and Permalloo described the community as close-knit.

“Everyone knows each other,” Chellan said.

“Whenever someone’s walking around the block, we say hi, we see the kids, any kids from the area just to run, on their bikes and playing,” said Permalloo.

They admitted, however, they didn’t know much about the family.

“I’d say they kept to themselves a bit more,” Chellan said.

“They were kind of secluded, they weren’t really mixing with everyone else,” Permalloo said.

No arrests have been made in the case.

— With files from Global News’ Phil Carpenter and The Canadian Press