Residents of Quadeville, Ontario, held a town hall meeting with Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) to question their initial response to a brutal attack on an 8-year-old girl. Police initially attributed the life-threatening injuries to a wild animal but later charged a 17-year-old from the community with attempted murder and sexual assault with a weapon after DNA results confirmed it wasn't an animal attack. The community is grappling with the incident and the slow police response, while also showing support for the victim's family.
Quadeville, Ont., residents question police over response to attack on eight-year-old girl
Canada
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️Residents of Quadeville, Ontario, held a town hall meeting with Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) to question their initial response to a brutal attack on an 8-year-old girl. Police initially attributed the life-threatening injuries to a wild animal but later charged a 17-year-old from the community with attempted murder and sexual assault with a weapon after DNA results confirmed it wasn't an animal attack. The community is grappling with the incident and the slow police response, while also showing support for the victim's family.
Trending- 1 June 23: 8-year-old girl goes missing in Quadeville
- 2 June 23, just after midnight: Girl found with life-threatening injuries by OPP canine unit
- 3 For two weeks: Police attribute attack to a wild animal
- 4 DNA results confirm attack not from an animal
- 5 Last week: Police announce charges against a 17-year-old (attempted murder, sexual assault with a weapon)
- 6 Saturday evening: Town hall meeting held in Quadeville with OPP
- 7 Currently: Girl recovering in Ottawa hospital
- 8 Ongoing investigation
- Community distress and questioning of police
- Arrest and charging of a 17-year-old suspect
- Ongoing police investigation
- Community fundraising for the victim's family
- Arrangement of support services and counselling for the town
- Reopening of painful memories from a past local crime
What: Residents of Quadeville, Ontario, questioned the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) regarding their handling of the investigation into a brutal attack on an 8-year-old girl, specifically the initial misidentification of the attacker as a wild animal and the perceived slow response time.
When: Saturday evening (town hall meeting); three weeks after June 23 (girl found); June 23 (missing-person alert); Last week (police announced charges); 1991 (Ann Marie Bloskie case); article published on 2025-07-13.
Where: Quadeville, Ontario, Canada; specifically the local community centre; nearby Barry's Bay; Ottawa hospital; Pembroke courthouse.
Why: The community sought answers and accountability from the police regarding the investigation's initial missteps and delays, particularly given the severity of the attack and the subsequent arrest of a local teenager.
How: A town hall meeting was held at the local community centre where residents directly questioned four OPP officers, including Superintendent Derek Needham, about the investigation's timeline, resource deployment, and the shift in the attacker's identification.