Man charged after Scarborough fire leaves baby girl dead
39-year-old charged with arson - disregard for human life, police say
A 39-year-old Toronto man has been charged after an 8-month-old baby girl died in hospital following a Scarborough house fire on the weekend.
The fire happened in the area of Finch Avenue East and Brimley Road. Toronto police were called to the home on Saturday at 11:15 a.m.
In a news release on Wednesday, police said the fire broke out in the basement.
Police said on the weekend that four people were taken to hospital following the fire: the baby girl, a four-year-old boy, a woman in her 70s who suffered an unrelated medical episode, and the accused.
The boy suffered non-life-threatening injuries from smoke inhalation, while the accused suffered self-inflicted injuries, police said.
The baby was pronounced dead in hospital.
The man has been charged with arson — disregard for human life. He was due to appear in a Toronto courtroom on Wednesday.
On the weekend, police said the baby, child, man and woman in her 70s are family members but police declined to comment on the nature of their relationship.
Anyone with information about the fatal fire is urged to contact police.