Missing child found in water in Mississauga park dies in hospital: Peel police

A young child has died after being found in a pond at Mississauga’s Erindale Park late Saturday afternoon. (David Ritchie/CTV News Toronto)

A young child has died after being found in the water at Mississauga’s Erindale Park late Saturday afternoon.

In an email to CTV News Toronto on Sunday, Peel Regional Police (PRP) said they were contacted at 3:36 p.m. on Saturday about a missing child in the area of Erindale Park, on The Collegeway, east of Mississauga Road and north of Dundas Street West.

“Shortly thereafter, police arrived in the area and commenced an investigation. The young child was located by first responders and was taken to a local hospital in critical condition,” they said.

Despite life-saving efforts, the child, whose age is unknown at this time, was pronounced dead in hospital, PRP said.

“Due to the sensitive nature of this investigation, there is no further information to provide,” they wrote.

In a previous post on X, police said they received a medical assist call just after 3:30 p.m. on Saturday for a child that had wandered off in that area. They urged people to avoid the Erindale Park area.

Peel paramedics said they were contacted at 4:22 p.m. on Saturday for reports of a person in the water and responded with several crews.

They later said that a pediatric patient was found in the water and that they transported them to the hospital in life-threatening condition.

The scene of this incident is in the vicinity of University of Toronto’s Erindale campus.

Bystanders assisted in search for child

CP24.com spoke with one man who assisted in the search for the child.

The bystander, who asked to remain anonymous out of respect for the family, said he was having a picnic with a group of friends at Erindale Park late Saturday afternoon when some people came around and asked if they’d seen a missing young boy.

“Myself and a couple of other people went out looking for him,” he said.

A short time later, the man said he located a few items, which appeared to be a child’s belongings, in a wooded area.

“I alerted the police right away,” he said, adding within less than a minute several police officers and other emergency responders arrived at the park to search for the child.

“There were multiple search approaches. They were actively looking in the pond, near the water, all over the park. They were co-ordinated.”

The man told CP24 that he’s sad to learn of the unfortunate outcome.

“Obviously, I would wish for a different ending,” he said, adding the boy and his family are in his prayers.

This investigation is ongoing and anyone with further information should contact PRP or Crime Stoppers anonymously.