Source: Toronto Sun | archive

A 47-year-old mom is facing a first-degree murder charge in the death of her 10-year-old son on New Year’s Eve in Barrie. Barrie Police said they responded to a call for a well-being check at a home on Bayview Ave. near Little Ave. around 3 p.m. on Dec. 31. Cops said the child was found dead inside the home. The mom, meanwhile, was taken to a local hospital. Police said that after the mother was cleared medically, she was charged with first-degree murder on Tuesday. Barrie Today reported that the woman made a brief appearance on Tuesday before a justice of the peace in Barrie bail court. A publication ban has been put in place to protect the identity of both the woman and the 10-year-old boy. The crime unit continues to investigate, and police previously said there is no risk to public safety. Cops in Barrie launched a “criminal investigation” into the death. “When police made entry to the unit, a 10-year-old child was discovered deceased,” police said in a statement on New Year’s Day. Police offer “sympathies to those affected” In offering “our sympathies to those affected by this incident,” police also said that “due to the nature of the incident and to respect the privacy of the family involved, updates will only be provided as the investigation permits.” As of Tuesday afternoon, there was no longer a police presence at Tamarack Woods, a housing complex containing about 120 units near the Allandale Recreation Centre, Barrie Today reported. In an earlier interview with the outlet, a neighbour who lives in the complex described the boy as “polite” and “really nice.” The neighbour said the family, believed to be a couple and the young boy, had moved into Tamarack Woods “pretty recently.” — with files from The Canadian Press RECOMMENDED VIDEO