Ontario teen charged after 8-year-old found with life-threatening injuries

Canada: A 17-year-old boy has been charged with attempted murder and sexual assault, threatening with a weapon, following a violent attack on an eight-year-old which took place in the rural community of Quadeville in eastern Ontario.

The incident occurred on the night of June 24, 2025, when the victim went missing in the southeast area of Barry’s Bay which is about 170 km west of Ottawa. The child was found early morning on June 25 with life threatening injuries.

Initial Police investigation

At first, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) suggested that the wounds might be a result of animal attack. As a precautionary measure, residents in the surrounding area were advised that children be kept inside or very closely supervised. It was later discovered during a forensic analysis of the victim that there was no trace of animal DNA, shifting the focus of the investigation toward human involvement.

In a press release issued yesterday, Thursday July 9, the OPP reported the arrest of the 17 year old suspect, whose identity cannot be revealed as per the Youth Criminal Justice Act. The arrest was made on Tuesday, July 8 and the teen is charged with attempt at murder and sexual assault with a weapon against a person under the age of 16. 

At present, the suspect remains in custody waiting for his court date while the patient is still in the care of medical professionals, with no other reports on the child’s health status known as it is protected by privacy laws.

Response to rising concern among locals

To tackle rising community concern, police have scheduled a town hall meeting for July 12 in Quadeville, but the time and place details are still to be determined. Moreover, investigators are urging people with any information or video related to the incident to come forward to the OPP’s Upper Ottawa Valley unit at 1-888-310-1122, or anonymously via Crime Stoppers.