A man from Welland, Ontario, has been taken into custody on suspicion of unlawfully entering a residence and assaulting a young child under the age of five.
The incident unfolded in a home located near Crowland Avenue and York Street on the morning of August 31, when Niagara police responded to a call requesting medical assistance for a child.
Upon reaching the scene, law enforcement officers discovered that the front door of the house had been forcibly opened. Inside, they found the child with severe injuries.
The child received immediate medical attention at the location before being transported to the hospital, where they are currently in stable condition.
Following discussions with the child’s parents, it was determined that an unidentified individual had allegedly tampered with the front door lock and gained unauthorized entry to the property sometime between 10 p.m. on August 30 and the time the incident was reported the next day.
While inside the residence, the suspect is said to have sexually assaulted the child unbeknownst to the parents. The identification of the suspect was aided by a witness who provided video footage from a surveillance camera in the area, which helped authorities in their investigation.
The arrested individual, Daniel Senecal, aged 25 and also a resident of Welland, has been formally charged with aggravated sexual assault involving a person under 16 years of age, assault, assault with choking, breaking and entering a dwelling, and sexual interference with a minor under 16.
Senecal was scheduled to make a court appearance on Monday.