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Niagara Regional Police say a child was rushed to an out-of-region hospital for advanced medical care after their parents woke up to find their home had been broken into and the child had been attacked overnight.
Police say they received a “medical assistance call involving a child under the age of 5” just before 9 a.m. Sunday from a home in the area of Crowland Avenue and York Street in Welland, Ont.
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When officers arrived, they noticed the front door showed signs of being forced open. The child was assessed at the home and paramedics transported them to hospital for advanced care, where they remain in stable condition.
Investigators have determined that the break-in occurred some time between 10 p.m. Saturday and 8:59 a.m. Sunday.
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“While inside the residence, unbeknownst to the parents, their child was sexually assaulted,” police said.
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After canvassing the area, someone in the neighbourhood said they had video surveillance of the general area. They were able to identify an alleged suspect, police say, resulting in the arrest of Daniel Senecal, 25, of Welland.
Senecal is charged with aggravated sexual assault on a person under 16, assault, assault/choking, break and enter, and sexual interference with a person under 16.
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