Regina police pondering next steps after toddler dies in hospital

The Regina Police Service said Thursday a one-year-old girl injured in an alleged incident of child abuse has died.

In a media release, police said their probe into the Oct. 7 incident became a death investigation when the girl passed away in hospital Friday evening.

Bailey Carter Lance Peepeetch, 20, initially was charged with aggravated assault and made his first court appearance Oct. 8. He was back in court Thursday, at which time he was remanded into custody and his case was adjourned to Tuesday.

However, the death of the toddler has changed the scope of the investigation.

According to the police release, investigators from the Major Crimes Unit have been working with the Regina Children’s Justice Centre, the Saskatchewan Coroners Service and Crown prosecutors “to determine appropriate next steps in this case.”

The police said there weren’t any other details to release.

In their initial media release about the incident, police said officers responded Oct. 7 just before 5:30 p.m., to a Regina hospital after getting a call that paramedics were en route with an injured child.

Paramedics told police they suspected the injuries were the result of physical abuse. Peepeetch was arrested after investigators determined there was enough evidence against him to lay a charge of aggravated assault.

Peepeetch isn’t related to the girl, but lived in the same house as she did.