Toronto man accused of poisoning children’s cereal has charge upgraded to 1st-degree murder

A 45-year-old Toronto man who police allege poisoned the cereal that was eaten by two young children has now been charged with a count of first-degree murder and a count of attempted murder.

News of the upgraded charges came more than a week after the accused in the case was charged with criminal negligence causing death, two counts of administering a noxious substance to endanger life and two counts of unlawfully causing bodily harm.

It was on March 7 when officers alleged the suspect took an undisclosed controlled substance from where he worked and put it in a box of cereal.

Investigators said the cereal was later eaten by two children who were having a sleepover, requiring them both to be taken to a hospital.

Officers said a three-year-old girl died and the other young child was hospitalized for an extended period of time.

Through a GoFundMe post, Maurine Mirembe, who identified herself as the mother of Bernice, the young girl who died, described her child as being “full of life” and having “lots of love to give.”

Mirembe went on to write how her daughter “quickly grew weak” and began to vomit shortly after eating breakfast with a friend.

“By the time I rushed to get to her, she was barely breathing and looking ashen,” she recalled.

“After multiple resuscitation attempts by the doctors, Bernice was taken off life support,” she wrote.

On June 21, officers released the results of a coroner’s report and announced the initial charges.

In an update released on Wednesday, investigators said the accused, Francis Ngugi, had his charges upgraded. He was scheduled to make a virtual appearance in a Scarborough court Friday morning. The charges previously laid, as well as the newest charges, haven’t been proven in court.

— With files from Gabby Rodrigues