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The teenager charged last summer with the attempted murder of an eight-year-old girl in Quadeville, Ont., is scheduled to stand trial in early 2027.
Last July, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) arrested the 17-year-old and charged him with attempted murder and sexual assault involving a weapon, weeks after the girl was found with life-threatening injuries in a densely wooded area.
So far, 16 days have been set aside for the youth’s judge-alone trial, spread over January, February and March 2027.
The tiny village of Quadeville, about 130 kilometres west of Ottawa, was gripped by fear and uncertainty in the wake of the girl’s vicious attack. She’d been reported missing on June 23, after last being seen around 6 p.m. at the village’s general store.
A search party was launched and shortly after midnight, police dogs found the severely injured girl in the woods nearby. She was airlifted to the CHEO, eastern Ontario’s children’s hospital in Ottawa.
Meanwhile, OPP issued a warning to Quadeville residents to keep children indoors or under close supervision until the “source of the victim’s injuries could be determined.”
Animal attack suspected
A day later, OPP said investigators suspected the girl has been the victim of an animal attack, but that more testing and analysis was required.
Bear traps and trail cameras were set up for over a week, but no significant wildlife activity was captured.
Two weeks after the girl was found, OPP announced the arrest and charges against the 17-year-old. They also confirmed that testing from the girl’s wounds had revealed no trace of animal DNA.
CBC recently contacted OPP to ask about any lessons learned from the investigation and its aftermath, but they responded to say they’re “unable to comment at this time to avoid impacting the proceedings.”
Neither the victim, who has since been released from hospital, nor the accused can be named under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
