PEI

Vigil held for Summerside boy whose death is under investigation

A vigil was held Wednesday night in Summerside to pay tribute to a toddler whose death last week is under police investigation. Toys placed on a city sidewalk by the mourners have since been removed.

Stuffed animals, tributes had been placed during Wednesday night vigil

The motorcycle group Guardians of the Children organized a vigil to pay tribute to a two-year-old boy who died in Summerside last week. (Kirk Pennell/CBC)

A vigil was held Wednesday night in Summerside to pay tribute to a two-year-old boy who died last week. 

The gathering was led by the motorcycle group Guardians of the Children. Hundreds of bikers and others attended the event, with many dropping off stuffed animals to honour the child who died. 

The toys and posters had been removed by late Thursday morning.

All the stuffed animals and other toys left on this Summerside street during Wednesday's vigil had been removed by midday Thursday. It's not clear who was responsible for dismantling the makeshift memorial. (Brian Higgins/CBC)

Summerside Police Chief David Poirier would not give details of who dismantled the memorial. 

But he confirms the force was called to "keep the peace" while the memorial was taken down. He said one officer was on scene to monitor the situation.

In a news release earlier this week that contained no names, the force said officers were investigating the circumstances of the boy's death.

Dozens of bikers and many other residents of Summerside showed up at a vigil organized by Guardians for the Children on Wednesday night. (Kirk Pennell/CBC)

The news release said P.E.I. Child Protection Services alerted officers last Tuesday that an ambulance had taken the child to Prince County Hospital on Monday.

He was then airlifted to Halifax "due to the seriousness of his injuries," the release said.

The boy died Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 19.

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