Mother faces negligence charge in death of 7-year-old girl in Laval, Que.

LAVAL, Que. — Police in Laval, Que., say the mother of a seven-year-old girl who died this month following alleged mistreatment has been arrested.

The arrest took place Friday just before 7 a.m., and the woman is expected to appear in court via video on a charge of criminal negligence causing death.

Stephanie Beshara, a Laval police spokeswoman, says little can be revealed as the investigation is ongoing.

Police were called to a home on Jan. 3, where they found the young girl in cardiorespiratory arrest and she was later pronounced dead in hospital.

Investigators said they could not rule out that the death was the result of injury of mistreatment, and an autopsy was performed.

Quebec’s human rights and youth rights commission has launched a separate investigation into the death of the girl, whose situation had previously been reported to youth protection authorities.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 15, 2021.

The Canadian Press