Latest news with #JosephFiorentino
Ottawa Citizen
2 days ago
- Ottawa Citizen
Village of Quadeville rallies after mysterious animal attack on eight-year-old girl
Article content The community around the village of Quadeville is rallying after an eight-year-old girl was airlifted to CHEO in the wake of a suspected animal attack on the night of June 23. Article content The girl, who can't be named for legal reasons, remains in stable condition in the ICU at CHEO for an indeterminate amount of time, said Joseph Fiorentino, the pastor at the Quadeville Pentacostal Church, who has been acting as the family's spokesperson. Article content Article content Article content Fiorentino said everyone in the village, about 40 kilometres south of Barry's Bay, knows the girl. Article content Article content 'When she sees you, she always approaches with a huge smile,' he said. 'She has a spunky soul that is full of kindness, love for others, and spiritual curiosity. If you have had a challenging day, this little lady is going to cheer you up and make you smile. However, her smile is always bigger.' Article content Fiorentino refused to speculate on what kind of animal was responsible for the attack. Article content 'The OPP will be responsible for making a statement,' he said. 'It's the big mystery. Everyone wants to know.' Article content The Upper Ottawa Valley detachment of the OPP has asked parents of children in the Quadeville area to keep children indoors or under close supervision. Article content 'We are working closely with the Ministry of Natural Resources on this case,' said OPP spokesperson Bill Dickson. Article content Article content 'We have not yet confirmed the cause of the injuries. We will not provide specifics on the injuries, beyond the fact they were life-threatening.' Article content Article content The Ministry of Natural Resources diverted questions back to the OPP. Article content Meanwhile, the community is working to raise funds for the girl and her family to help cover expenses related to her hospitalization, recovery and eventual homecoming. A GoFundMe with a goal of raising $5,500 exceeded that goal within 24 hours and had raised over $12,500 on June 28. A fundraising supper is to be held in the village community centre on July 5. Article content Quadeville is a village of about 300 people, said Fiorentino. It was not unusual for the girl to be out exploring or riding her bicycle, but after she did not return after an evening walk, her family became concerned, he said.
CBC
5 days ago
- CBC
Police suspect animal attack after girl seriously injured in Quadeville, Ont.
Social Sharing Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) urged parents in the Quadeville, Ont., area to keep their small children indoors or under close supervision on Wednesday, after a young girl was found the day before with severe injuries suspected to have been caused by an animal. Emergency services responded around 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday to reports that an eight-year-old girl who had been missing for hours was found with potentially life-threatening injuries in woods in Quadeville, a village located about 60 kilometres southwest of Renfrew. Little is publicly known about the nature of the girl's injuries, but OPP said in a statement Wednesday morning that "investigators suspect this to have been an animal attack." They cautioned that "further testing and analysis is required." They continued: "As a precaution, parents in the Quadeville area should continue to keep their small children indoors or under close supervision." OPP officers from the Upper Ottawa Valley detachment are investigating the incident with the Ministry of Natural Resources, under the direction of the OPP criminal investigation branch, with assistance from OPP forensic identification services and the OPP emergency response team. Joseph Fiorentino, the pastor of Quadeville Pentecostal Church, said the incident had shaken the tiny township of about 300 people. "The community is frightened for their own young children because of the ambiguity and the mysteries involved," Fiorentino told CBC on Wednesday. It's still not known what had happened to the girl or what caused he injuries, he said. "There's just no answers right now." Fifty members of the local community joined the search for the young girl on Monday evening after she went missing, Fiorentino said. The girl was found in area of forest behind homes located on Quadeville Road, with OPP requesting help from Brudenell Lyndoch and Raglan Fire Department. OPP officers cordoned off the area, leaving residents guessing what might have transpired, Fiorentino said. "We know nothing about her state or condition at the time she was found," he said. The injured girl was initially transported to St. Francis Memorial Hospital in Barry's Bay, according to Fiorentino. Later she was airlifted to the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa, with Ornge ambulance service confirming that they "transported a paediatric patient to CHEO with critical injuries relating to an animal attack." The girl is reported to be in stable condition in the intensive care unit, Fiorentino said. A doctor "did say it was a miracle she was alive," he added.
CBC
5 days ago
- CBC
OPP believe animal caused life-threatening injuries to girl in Quadeville, Ont
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) urged parents in the Quadeville, Ont., area to keep their small children indoors or under close supervision on Wednesday, after a young girl was found the day before with severe injuries suspected to have been caused by an animal. Emergency services responded around 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday to reports that an eight-year-old girl who had been missing for hours was found with potentially life-threatening injuries in woods in Quadeville, a village located about 60 kilometres southwest of Renfrew. Little is publicly known about the nature of the girl's injuries, but OPP said in a statement Wednesday morning that "investigators suspect this to have been an animal attack." They cautioned that "further testing and analysis is required." They continued: "As a precaution, parents in the Quadeville area should continue to keep their small children indoors or under close supervision." OPP officers from the Upper Ottawa Valley detachment are investigating the incident with the Ministry of Natural Resources, under the direction of the OPP criminal investigation branch, with assistance from OPP forensic identification services and the OPP emergency response team. Joseph Fiorentino, the pastor of Quadeville Pentecostal Church, said the incident had shaken the tiny township of about 300 people. "The community is frightened for their own young children because of the ambiguity and the mysteries involved," Fiorentino told CBC on Wednesday. It's still not known what had happened to the girl or what caused he injuries, he said. "There's just no answers right now." Fifty members of the local community joined the search for the young girl on Monday evening after she went missing, Fiorentino said. The girl was found in area of forest behind homes located on Quadeville Road, with OPP requesting help from Brudenell Lyndoch and Raglan Fire Department. OPP officers cordoned off the area, leaving residents guessing what might have transpired, Fiorentino said. "We know nothing about her state or condition at the time she was found," he said. The injured girl was initially transported to St. Francis Memorial Hospital in Barry's Bay, according to Fiorentino. Later she was airlifted to the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa, with Ornge ambulance service confirming that they "transported a paediatric patient to CHEO with critical injuries relating to an animal attack." The girl is reported to be in stable condition in the intensive care unit, Fiorentino said. A doctor "did say it was a miracle she was alive," he added.
