Winnipeg man charged in assault on child

A 39-year-old Winnipeg man has been charged with aggravated assault after a child was seriously injured this week.

The Winnipeg Police Service’s child abuse unit was contacted on Monday after a preschool-aged child was taken by ambulance and treated in hospital for serious injuries, the WPS said in a news release Thursday.

Investigators learned the child was being cared for by a man at a home in the 300 block of Thames Avenue when the injuries occurred, police said. The man contacted emergency services, and members of the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service rushed the child to the hospital.

The man was arrested Tuesday and remains in custody.

Police did not release the suspect’s name because doing so would likely identify the victim, spokesman Const. Stephen Spencer said. The child’s age and gender were not released.

The child’s injuries could be potentially life altering, Spencer said.

“The injuries were quite severe,” he said.