Brampton man charged with attempted murder of boy, 5 Child was reported missing before he was found critically injured near railway tracks
Peel police have charged a Brampton man with attempted murder after a 5-year-old boy was found with lifethreatening injuries after going missing from his home early Thursday.
Police were called just after 6 a.m., about four hours after the child was last seen by his mother at a home on McHardy Court near McMurchy Ave. His mother woke up to find the front door open and her son missing, police said.
She told police, “Something’s not right,” and said that the child had not gone missing before, Const. Danny Marttini told reporters Thursday morning. The boy was found by the K-9 unit around 7 a.m. near train tracks not far from his house.
He was unconscious and showed signs of trauma, police said. Paramedics took him to a Brampton hospital with injuries described as life-threatening.
He was later transferred to the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, where he was listed in stable but critical condition on Thursday evening.
The suspect, who was arrested Thursday afternoon, knew both the victim and his mother, police said.
Const. Sarah Patten told a Thursday afternoon news conference that police were still investigating where the assault happened after blood spots were reportedly seen along the sidewalk near the child’s home.
Patten said the ongoing investigation is “huge” and involves a lot of resources.
“We’re going to get to the bottom of this,” she said. “We’re glad that we are able to make the arrest today because of how big a deal this is.
“This is completely unacceptable that this has happened to a 5-year-old child.”
Dyon Smart, 28, has been charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, fail to comply with recognizance and breach of probation order.
Smart was described by neighbours as the boyfriend of the victim’s mother.
Marttini told the Brampton Guardian that Smart was charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault and two counts of mischief under $5,000 after a 44-year-old man was stabbed in the ear during a dispute in the same area of Brampton last year.
Shivani Azeez has lived on McHardy Court for 21years and described the community as “very tight-knit.” She said “everybody” knows the boy, who goes to school across the street.
Azeez described him as very polite and energetic but quiet, and recalled seeing him playing just two days earlier.
A mother herself, Azeez said many children play openly on the court because the community is one where everyone watches out for each other.
Neighbours gathered Thursday evening behind the back of the community complex in the area, with some lighting can- dles and leaving behind stuffed animals.
Wendy Hill was at the complex with her son, who was friends with Davion. Hill described Davion as an “active young boy” who could be seen running around the court just like any other 5-year-old.
“Well I have a kid, this is concerning. My son knows him, plays with him. It’s pretty concerning that this happened to a 5-year-old,” she said.
Azeez said she knew the victim of the stabbing last year for which Smart was arrested and that the incident occurred just a few houses away.
Smart appeared at Brampton court for a bail hearing on Thursday.