Holmesville, Ont., in shock after learning person charged in girl's death is 13-year-old boy
Alessio Donnini | CBC News | Posted: July 4, 2024 9:18 PM | Last Updated: July 4
Charged with 1st-degree murder, he can't be named under Youth Criminal Justice Act
The tiny community of Holmesville, Ont., is reeling after learning a 13-year-old boy is the person charged with first-degree murder after a girl died in hospital earlier this week.
On Thursday, police continued to gather evidence around an abandoned elementary school in rural Huron County.
The girl is similar in age to the accused, residents of the southwestern Ontario town of about 900 people told CBC News.
Their identities are protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Police were called to Cut Line Road, between Parr Line and Tipperary Line, in Central Huron, on Tuesday at around 4:20 p.m. ET.
One young person was taken to hospital and later pronounced dead, said Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
Under the Criminal Code, first-degree murder is defined a killing that is planned and deliberate.
On Thursday, Huron County OPP officers cordoned off the former Holmesville Public School, which closed in 2013, as well as a woodlot near the school.
Police officers could be seen bringing out boxes while entering and exiting the abandoned school property, and yellow evidence markers dotted a grassy area between the cordoned-off wood lot and Cut Line Road.
Neighbours in the area said they were shocked and in disbelief that something so violent could happen in their community. Holmesville is between Clinton and Goderich, about 90 kilometres north of London.
The usually quiet community has been noticeably quieter since Tuesday, one neighbour said, acknowledging that many community members were still on edge on Thursday.
"It's hard. Everybody here is feeling it," said Karen Tyndall, whose property is just metres away from the abandoned school where police could be seen investigating.
"There has to be some awareness," Tyndall said. "This investigation has to find out what went wrong, because an ordinary 13-year-old doesn't just do this. It needs to be investigated. It's important for us to come together as a community and make sure it doesn't happen again.
"We need to do more for our children."
The 13-year-old made a brief court appearance on Wednesday and is scheduled to make another one on Friday, his lawyer confirmed.