Abandoned Toddler’s Body Found Outside Church In Edmonton, Canada: 2 Arrested
On Friday, April 21, 2017, the body of an abandoned toddler was discovered outside the Good Shepherd Anglican Church. The abandoned toddler was estimated to be about twenty months old but police said the male child could have been a little older, too.
Homicide detectives arrived shortly after the discovery and secured the scene. Police believe the toddler’s body had been there for three days, since April 17, 2017, before his body was discovered.
Before the day was out, a memorial for the abandoned toddler began to take place outside the church. Tulips and other flowers and a teddy bear soon found their way to the memorial. Other items were brought by those saddened by the abandonment of the toddler. Many left toys and other gifts that a toddler would like near the wall of the church, even as the snow from the early spring storm began to pile up. People gathered to share their grief. Children asked questions about where the little boy was now.
'He's always going to be in our hearts': Memorial grows for toddler found dead in Edmonton https://t.co/7tZ2Q84dK9 Just heart rendering.
— Quartzo (@Quartzo6) April 23, 2017
On Saturday afternoon, Marryman Porter was at a bake sale at the Good Shepherd Anglican Church. According to Huffington Post, Porter said,
“My heart just really aches to think of this thing happening.”
Very little information was available at first. The police released photos of some of the abandoned toddler’s clothing, in hopes that someone might be able to identify the child. There was a pair of blue and black running shoes, a Batman onesie with the words “Bam! Pow!” on it, and a blue snowsuit with fur trim. These were found alongside the body of the abandoned toddler.
Two in custody in case of abandoned Edmonton toddler https://t.co/4EIuz39MiC
— SBayview (@SBayview) April 23, 2017
By Saturday afternoon, “police released security footage of two ‘people of interest’ who they believed had information critical to the investigation” and CBC and other news outlets shared the grainy images of the footage. The pair were seen walking into a store pushing a baby stroller and they were believed to be a man and a woman in their twenties. The pair were not listed as suspects at the time but it was anticipated that they would have critical knowledge about what had happened to the abandoned toddler and how he got there.
The picture of the “people of interest” was taken by surveillance cameras in a nearby grocery store on April 17, 2017. They were wearing hats with distinctive letter on them.
Since that time, two people arrested in relation to the abandoned toddler that was found in Edmonton beside the church. These people were the “people of interest” in the video that was shared earlier. They are currently in police custody. The names of the people that have been arrested have not been released.
Investigators have not released information regarding the relationship that the two arrested people have with the abandoned toddler. Charges are still pending.
The service at the Good Shepard Anglican Church began Sunday morning on April 23, 2017, with a moment of silence for the abandoned toddler. People in the congregation were saddened by what had happened and kept the abandoned child in their prayers that morning. A vigil is being planned at the church and will take place later in the week.
People in the community were eager to help. The area surrounding the Good Shepherd Anglican Church is a busy area. There is a transit terminal, a strip mall, a public library, a seniors lodge, condominiums, and even a fire station all with a short distance from the church. A church representative helped direct anyone with information to the police that were investigating the case.
There are many people across the country that are saddened by the death of this abandoned child and they want answers. They want to see someone get punished. Soon, police will release the charges on the suspects in relation to the abandoned and dead toddler found beside the church in Edmonton.
[Featured Image by Heiko119/iStock by Getty Images]
