2-year-old girl fatally injured in southeast Calgary neighbourhood
Police are investigating after a two-year-old girl died suddenly during Thursday’s early morning hours.
Emergency crews were called to a home on Bannister Manor S.E., in the community of Midnapore, shortly after 2 a.m.
Police confirmed the girl and her mother were taken to the Alberta Children's Hospital. The child later died.
EMS confirmed a paramedic response unit arrived without delay, but a police holdback was in place for a time to ensure the scene was safe. Treatment of a “toddler-aged girl” in medical distress began immediately and continued under the care of an EMS crew that arrived minutes later.
A woman who lives nearby told CTV News she was awoken by the sound of her neighbour screaming outside.
"At the time, she was screaming, 'Why hasn't the ambulance come yet? It's been over 10 minutes,'" said the neighbour, who did not provide her name. "She was just frantically panicking, like, 'She's not breathing! She's not breathing! Why hasn't anyone come yet?'"
EMS said there was no significant delay on the call.
The neighbour said approximately six police vehicles and an ambulance arrived and that after approximately 30 minutes inside the home, the child was brought out on a stretcher with EMS performing chest compressions on her.
According to the neighbour, the child was known to ride her tricycle in the townhouse complex.
"I honestly don't see those neighbours much. They're not really the out-and-about type,” the neighbour said.
“They don't really mingle with us. They're pretty new still. I don't know much of them."
Officers removed a pickup truck from the scene that neighbours say they saw driving around the time the 911 call was made.
Homicide detectives spent much of the day in the neighbourhood, gathering statements.
Police say based on initial information, the girl's death is being treated as suspicious and that detectives are conducting interviews to better understand what happened to what appeared to be a healthy child.
Homicide detectives investigate every time a child dies, even when it appears that it was an accident or medical emergency, so while police are treating this incident as suspicious, that could change.
An autopsy was scheduled for Friday.
With files from CTV's Austin Lee, Bill Macfarlane and Damien Wood
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their “extremely dangerous” experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Teacher shortages see some Ontario high school students awarded perfect grades on midterm exams
Students at a high school in York Region have been awarded perfect marks on their midterm exams in three subjects – not because of their academic performances however, but because they had no teacher.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
An Ontario senior thought he called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.
Her fiance has been in prison for 49 years. She's trying to free him before it’s too late
She was lying in bed on a Thursday morning, thinking about the man she loved, hoping to win his freedom before time ran out.