‘Extremely tragic:’ Toddler killed in Scarborough just shy of second birthday, mother charged with murder

Police provide an update on the charges laid against the mother of a child who died in hospital after an incident at a Scarborough home.

A woman has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of her nearly two-year-old daughter in Scarborough.

The child, who was one month shy of her second birthday, was found without vital signs at a home in the area of Midland Avenue and Steeles Avenue East at around 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

She was pronounced dead in the hospital on Wednesday, Det.-Sgt. Henri Marsman told reporters at the scene.

The child has been identified as Oriana Cho. She is the city’s eighth homicide victim of the year.

The mother has been identified as 37-year-old Si Ting Yang.

“It is an extremely tragic case, it is very difficult,” Marsman said. “Our partners at the Child and Youth Advocacy Centre commenced the investigation and they did an excellent job. It has been hard for the first responders, the officers that first entered the house as well as the paramedics and firefighters involved and all officers who have had contact with this case.”

Marsman said police were first dispatched to the home following a 911 call made by the child’s father.

He said the father was not home at the time and returned after first responders arrived.

At this point, no cause of death has been released, though Marsman said that investigators believe the homicide took place inside the house.

“While we understand there may be significant interest in this case at this time, we won’t be speaking about motive. This is an ongoing investigation into an extremely tragic event,” he said.

The mother was initially taken into custody on Tuesday. She will appear in court to answer to the first-degree murder charge on Thursday.

Marsman said another child was inside the house and is safe.

He said that there will be a police presence in the neighbourhood over the coming days due to the “ongoing investigation” into the homicide.