A teenager accused in the attack on an eight-year-old girl in Quadeville, Ont., that investigators initially linked to an animal is set to return to court next month.
The 17-year-old suspect made a brief appearance Thursday at the courthouse in Pembroke, Ont., where he stood in shackles as his case was put over until Aug. 21.
The teen, whose identity is protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, faces charges of attempted murder and sexual assault with a weapon.
He was arrested last Tuesday, after investigators discovered there was no trace of animal DNA from the girl’s wounds, and remains in custody.
Police initially believed the girl was attacked by an animal, after the child was found with life-threatening injuries on June 24 in the small community in eastern Ontario.
Quadeville residents pressed OPP officers at a town hall last weekend about why investigators initially suspected an animal attack and told people to keep their small children indoors.
Police have said that they never ruled out other possibilities, and that their initial theory was supported by medical and pathology experts.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2025.
The Canadian Press
