York Regional Police say a 70-year-old man is facing charges after a toddler was killed when a vehicle drove into the front of a daycare in Richmond Hill, Ont., on Wednesday afternoon.
In an update Thursday, police said the driver has now been charged with dangerous operation causing death and dangerous operation causing bodily harm.
On Wednesday, at around 3 p.m., a car drove through the storefront window of a child care centre near Yonge Street and Nottingham Drive striking several staff and young children.
A one-and-a-half-year-old boy died and now two other children remain in critical condition, police said in the Thursday update.
In total, seven children between the ages of one-and-a-half and three were hit by the vehicle. Three staff members were also injured. The remaining victims remain in non-life-threatening condition, police said.
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18-month-old boy killed, 7 children injured after car crashes into Richmond Hill daycare
Police said a man in his 70s had been arrested at the scene, though they currently believe the events were a tragic accident.
“Information right now has led us to determine this was not a deliberate act,” Const. Kevin Nebrija said on Wednesday.
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“The vehicle was in the parking lot at the time and, for reasons unknown, drove through the front of the window. We can appreciate that this is a very alarming call for parents to receive.”
All children and staff were accounted for, police said.
Police at the scene after a vehicle drove into a Richmond Hill, Ont. daycare.
Sean O’Shea / Global News
“My thoughts are with the children, employees and families impacted by this devastating incident. No family should have to deal with a tragedy like this,” said York Regional Police chief Jim MacSween.
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A Hyundai electric vehicle was pulled through the shattered window of the daycare and loaded onto a tow truck on Wednesday evening. It showed little visible damage aside from a dangling licence plate and broken glass on its hood.
On Thursday morning, the large window was boarded up with plywood and other pieces of lumber.
Just beneath it, a collection of stuffed animals sat facing the parking lot. Residents had also dropped off bouquets of flowers, a mini basketball and a candle.
A sign that read “please slow down” remained mounted on the wall next to the crash site.
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A collection of stuffed animals, flowers and letters were set up in front of the daycare.
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Emirson Bekirovski was at work when he got a message from the daycare about an emergency that required him to pick up his four-year-old daughter.
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“My wife came and she was pretty traumatized to see all the helicopters and the police cars,” Bekirovski said, adding that parents did not get much information as to what was happening other than instructions to bring their kids home.
“We’re obviously very happy that our daughter’s with us and safe, but obviously we’re pretty traumatized at the fact this happened so close to home,” he said.
Ruth Brainis, a local resident and mother of two small children, said she was “devastated” and sick to her stomach when she heard of the crash.
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Brainis attended the site on Thursday morning to lay flowers and pay her respects to the affected families.
“When it’s children, it hits really hard,” she said. “I can’t imagine the suffering these poor parents are going through. I don’t wish it on anybody.”
Hava Jouharchi has been a resident of Richmond Hill for more than 25 years and said she didn’t know what to think when she heard about the crash at the daycare her children once attended.
“My son was just passing by here like 10 minutes before it happened, and so that’s how I found out,” Jouharchi said.
“We don’t have anything like this happen and I was just shocked.”
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— with files from Isaac Callan & The Canadian Press
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