Tue, October 12, 2004
A TORONTO mother has been charged with manslaughter in the death of her 21-month-old daughter, who died from massive head injuries. Police and EMS paramedics showed up at an apartment at the Woodgreen Housing complex on Pape Ave. south of Queen St. E. Friday at 11 p.m. and found a little girl who was not breathing, an official said.
Neighbours said the child's name was Star.
She was placed on life support at Sick Kids hospital, but died on Saturday. Police said the girl had suffered "severe blunt force trauma" to her head.
Investigators with the homicide squad arrested her mother, who remains in custody.
Neighbour Valerie Foster, who has known the accused mother for the past eight years, said she couldn't believe what had happened.
"I couldn't picture her doing anything to her," Foster said. "Her daughter was always well kept, well dressed. She always had her hair done up to make her look cute."
Foster's mother, Lynda, who also lives at the complex, said she thought there must have been an accident when the police showed up at her neighbour's apartment down the hallway, never suspecting what might have happened.
"If she had any personal problems she hid them well," said Lynda.
Ruth Ann Waide, 31, has been charged with manslaughter.