Edmonton toddler suffered life of abuse
19-month-old found dead outside church had bruises all over, investigators say
EDMONTON— Police say a 19-monthold boy found dead outside a church last week was covered in bruises and was horribly abused before he was killed by a blow to the head.
A passerby found the lifeless body of Anthony Joseph Raine outside the Good Shepherd Anglican church in Edmonton on Friday. The boy was covered with a blanket.
Police believe he had been dumped there three days earlier.
The toddler’s father, Joey Crier, 26, and Crier’s girlfriend Tasha Mack, 25, are charged with second-degree murder, criminal negligence causing death, failure to provide the necessaries of life and assault. Crier is also charged with assault causing bodily harm.
Investigators say they don’t have a motive.
“He suffered a lot of trauma,” homicide Staff Sgt. Duane Hunter said Monday.
“He was living a terrible life full of violence and one that is incredibly sad that you don’t even want to speak about. Bruises all over his body and I will leave it at that.”
Anthony was dressed in a light-blue snowsuit and was wearing new shoes — clothing that helped officers identify him thanks to tips from the public.
Two suspects were identified on surveillance video from a nearby grocery store that police released on the weekend.
Hunter said Crier and Mack were arrested on a city bus not long after.
They appeared in court Monday via closed-circuit television and remain in custody until their next court date set for May 8.
Hunter was asked if the family had been involved with social services or police before. “No, there was nothing,” he said. Family, friends and strangers poured out their grief on a Facebook group titled R.I.P. Anthony Joseph Raine. A GoFundMe page raising money for the boy’s funeral identified the boy’s mother as Dalyce Raine from the Louis Bull reserve, a First Nations community south of Edmonton.
“This sweet little man was not registered with our band, so we are fundraising to make a beautiful service,” reads the GoFundMe page.
“He was the sweetest little boy you can meet.”