Child Sexually Assaulted by Home Invader, Suspect in Custody: Ontario Police

A sign showing the address of the Niagara Regional Police Service detachment in 1 District located in St. Catharines, Ont., on March 15, 2024. The Canadian Press/Aaron Lynett

A man has been arrested by Niagara police after a Welland, Ont. home was broken into and a child under the age of five was sexually assaulted.

Daniel Senecal, 25, of Welland, Ont., has been charged with aggravated sexual assault on a person under 16 years of age, assault, assault/choking, breaking and entering, and sexual interference with a person under 16.

The Niagara Regional Police Service said its officers along with paramedics responded to an emergency call in Welland just before 9 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 31.

After arriving at the home, police officers noted signs the front door of the residence had been forced open. They also observed that the child suffered from “serious injuries prompting an immediate criminal investigation.”

The child was transported to a hospital outside the region to receive advanced medical care and has been reported to be in stable condition.

Police said it became apparent after speaking with the child’s parents that someone had defeated the lock on the front door and entered the residence between 10 p.m. on Aug. 30 and the morning of Aug. 31. While the suspect was inside the residence, “unbeknownst to the parents, their child was sexually assaulted,” Niagara police said.

Police officers opened their investigation and were able to locate a witness who had video surveillance of the general area. After reviewing the video, a suspect was identified. Further investigation and consultation with detectives from the Child Abuse Unit led to the arrest of Senecal.

The Epoch Times didn’t immediately hear back after reaching out to Niagara police to learn whether Senecal was known to police and if he had any prior incidents involving law enforcement. The suspect remains in police custody and was scheduled to have a bail hearing on Sept. 1 at the Robert S.K. Welch Courthouse in St. Catharines.

Detectives from the Child Abuse Unit are leading the investigation, with support from detectives assigned to the Sexual Assault Unit and Forensic Services Unit.

Ron Chhinzer, a former police officer who ran for the federal Conservatives during the last election, commented on the incident on social media. “It’s hard to even put into words how sickening this is,” he wrote on X. “A child sexually assaulted in their own home, a place that should be the safest spot in the world.”

The Conservatives last week called on the government to make amendments to the Criminal Code to reduce the complexity of provisions around defence of one’s own home.

The move comes amid a rise in violent crime over the last decade, with violent carjackings and home invasions being more frequent. The Tories say citizens who defend themselves shouldn’t be prosecuted if they use reasonable force.

One recent case that grabbed national attention involves a resident of Lindsay, Ont., facing criminal charges for allegedly using a knife in a fight with a home invader who broke into his apartment with a crossbow. The intruder “was already wanted by police at the time of the incident for unrelated offences,” the Kawartha Lakes Police Service said in a press release on Aug. 18.

The Liberal government has signalled its intention to introduce legislation this fall to toughen bail conditions for criminals involved in offences such as carjackings and home invasions.