Woman Charged After Attempted Drowning Of Toddler

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A 29-year-old Ajax, Ontario woman has been charged with attempted murder after she tried to drown her three-year-old son at a local beach, before she was stopped by two people nearby, police have said.

The Durham Regional Police said that a woman saw the mother “acting strangely” while holding the child on the railing of a bridge, near Rotary Park. The woman then apparently engaged the mother in conversation and walked with her and the child to a nearby parking lot,  but then noticed they had left the area and were heading toward the beach. Police spokeswoman Ashling Murphy told Global News:

 “She was noticing that she had the child on the bridge and it caused her some concern so she started to engage her to kind of lead her away from there,” Murphey added that “They were walking toward the parking lot and I guess the citizen was a little bit ahead of the woman and the child and she turned and they had gone.”

The mother was then seen holding the child under the extremely cold water. A man nearby then rushed to the area to help. Murphy added that both people brought the child to shore and wrapped him in warm clothing. Emergency crews then responded to the scene and took the 3-year-old to hospital.

“When the citizen turned back she noticed that the child was in the water,” Murphy said, adding the incident was “very sensitive.”

“They made an observation and came forward to assist and it definitely contributed to helping the child.”

The boy was reportedly treated in hospital but it’s not clear whether he sustained any injuries. He was then released into the care of his Dad.

The unidentified woman was also taken into custody under the Mental Health Act and charged with a number of charges which include attempted murder, aggravated assault and failing to provide the necessities of life.

A bail hearing took place but police are not releasing her name in order to protect the identity of the child.

The two people who stopped to help the child are being recognized for their help during the incident.

Murphy said. “They’re being commended for their actions that’s for sure,”