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'Nothing ... to suggest any criminality' in fatal toddler crash: police

'We’re dealing with, obviously, a neighbourhood and a family and a driver of a vehicle that have all been involved in a very traumatic incident,' says Barrie police official
Bob Bruton
Bob Bruton
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Police investigate the scene of a fatal collision involving a young boy on Red Maple Lane in southeast Barrie on May 23.Kevin Lamb/BarrieToday

Barrie police are not anticipating the release of any more information about the death of a 23-month-old boy on May 23.

“There’s nothing at this point to suggest any criminality whatsoever,” Barrie police communications coordinator Peter Leon said of the tragedy.

Police were called to Red Maple Lane, near Yonge Street and Mapleview Drive East, on May 23 at 12:43 p.m. for an incident involving a young child and recycling collection truck. The boy later died in hospital after being airlifted to Toronto.

Emterra Environmental is the company which operates the truck involved in the collision.

Circular Materials took over recycling collection in Barrie as of May 1. The organization contracts recycling collection in Barrie to Emterra.

“We’re dealing with, obviously, a neighbourhood and a family and a driver of a vehicle that have all been involved in a very traumatic incident, not to mention the first-responders that were there as well,” Leon said.

“Right now, from what I understand, people are still dealing with the tragic loss and will be for quite some time,” he added. “So we (police) don’t need to re-victimize people by putting anything further out at this point, even if the investigation is concluded.”