Man and woman arrested after death of toddler from Quebec City daycare

UPDATE: On April 3, 2024, Guenuite Kiwangala Mubwaka was charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of the toddler at a Quebec City daycare. Josaphat Mayuba Ndele was charged with being an accessory after the fact to murder.

Quebec City police have arrested two people in connection with the death of a toddler in a family daycare centre in the Beauport neighbourhood.

On March 21, police were called to the scene of a residence and found a 14-month-old girl unconscious.

Police and paramedics performed CPR on the child, and took her to hospital where she died a few hours later.

On Tuesday, Josaphat Mayuba Ndele, 30, was arrested and charged with failing to comply with court conditions. 

Guenuite Kiwangala Mubwaka, 25, was arrested and also charged with failure to comply with court conditions as well as assault of the toddler over a four-month period. 

David Poitras, a communications officer with the Quebec City police service, says Quebec's major crimes unit opened an investigation when they found out about the toddler's death. 

Poitras says that the child was under the suspects' care at the time and confirmed the 30-year-old man and 25-year-old woman who were arrested March 25 are not the toddler's parents.

They are in custody and appeared in court Tuesday.

"Our investigation is not over," said Poitras. "It's not impossible that in the next little while there will be other charges."

The daycare was accredited with the province and had to comply with the service quality standards set by the Family Ministry, according to Radio-Canada.

Its accreditation was suspended and the daycare closed as soon as the events of March 21 were reported.

Quebec's Family Ministry says it is up to the Bureau coordonnateur de la garde éducative en milieu familial to ensure the recognition and compliance of childcare providers.