Murder charge laid in Donald Street apartment fire after 1 victim dies

Emergency vehicles are seen outside a Donald Street apartment building where an earlier morning fire sent two children and a woman to hospital in critical condition Thursday, May 2, 2024. The Ottawa Police Arson Unit says the fire has been deemed suspicious.

Ottawa police have upgraded an attempted murder charge against a 42-year-old man after one of the victims of an apartment fire earlier this month died.

Saeed Mohamed, 42, of Ottawa, was charged last week with three counts of attempted murder, arson with disregard for human life, three counts of arson, possession of incendiary material and arson causing property damage following a May 2 apartment fire on Donald Street.

Two children and one woman were sent to hospital in critical condition after the fire broke out on the third floor of the high-rise building. Many more residents were displaced.

Police said in a news release Monday evening that one of the three people sent to hospital, 3-year-old Karima Moustapha, died Saturday.

Mohamed is now facing one count of first-degree murder. He will appear in court Tuesday morning and remains in custody.