News Release
SIU Invokes Jurisdiction in Relation to Death of Baby in Stratford
Case Number: 21-OOD-052
Other News Releases Related to Case 21-OOD-052
The province’s Special Investigations Unit is investigating the circumstances around the death of an 18-month-old infant earlier this week in Stratford.
Preliminary information suggests the following:
- At approximately 4:30 a.m. on February 16, 2021, Emergency Medical Services and officers with the Stratford Police Service were dispatched to a residence after receiving a call about a child in medical distress.
- CPR was performed, and the child was transported to hospital.
- At 6:21 a.m., the child was pronounced deceased in hospital.
The SIU’s investigation is focused on the conduct of the police in the weeks prior to the date of the child’s death and whether an appropriate level of care was exercised with respect to the child’s wellbeing.
One subject official, four witness officials and one service employee witness have been designated. The post-mortem took place yesterday.
The SIU is urging anyone who may have information about this investigation to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529. The Unit is also urging anyone who may have any video evidence related to this incident to upload that video through the SIU website.
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (police officers as well as special constables with the Niagara Parks Commission and peace officers with the Legislative Protective Service) that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person. All investigations are conducted by SIU investigators who are civilians. Under the Special Investigations Unit Act, the Director of the SIU must
- consider whether the official has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
- depending on the evidence, cause a criminal charge to be laid against the official where grounds exist for doing so, or close the file without any charges being laid
- publicly report the results of its investigations