Woman arrested in connection to Cambridge, Ont. toddler’s death

A 27-year-old woman is facing several charges, including manslaughter, in connection to the death of a toddler in Cambridge, Ont. in September.

Police said the child’s death was determined to have been caused by unintentional exposure to illicit drugs.

This is the fourth death of a child involving unintentional exposure to illicit drugs in the past four years, according to police.

Police said the woman and the 15-month-old boy were related, but did not specify how.

Officials said on Sept. 26, 2022, around 9:40 p.m., emergency services responded to a residence on King Street East in Cambridge for a medical call involving a 15-month-old boy in distress.

Waterloo regional police and the Office of the Ontario Coroner were involved in the investigation.

“It’s very troubling. From the patrol officers that are attending the scene, to communicators that are taking the call, our investigators and everyone in the organization, but not just that, it’s a number of different community agencies that are assisting with our investigations,” said Waterloo region police Staff Sgt. Kyle Lambert.

Adding: “[It's] not only the child itself that passed away, but you also have the ripple effect. The mother and father, the aunts and uncles, the family members and the brothers and sisters who are involved. It’s tremendously sad and we take it very seriously.”

At the time of the incident, area resident Margaret Trachy told CTV News she was coming home from work when she noticed the flashing lights of emergency vehicles.

“Once I came in, I saw police vehicles, ambulance, fire truck, paramedic supervisor vehicle,” she said.

A mom herself, she said the death of a child is both scary and upsetting.

“I have teenagers, and I worry about them going out every day where we live, so when a baby is found unresponsive, and then he dies in hospital, that’s terrifying,” Trachy said.

The Major Crime Unit is mandated to investigate whenever a child under five dies.

The woman was arrested on Tuesday and has been charged with the following:

• Manslaughter

• Failing to Provide the Necessaries of Life

• Possession of an Unauthorized Weapon

• Possession of a Controlled Substance

• The female was held in police custody for a bail hearing.