It seems 2025 was a tough year for a lot of people. For at least one family and their community in Canada, the year ended with tragedy. After police were called for a welfare check, a boy was found dead in his family’s home. And now, his mother has been charged with his murder. Because of the nature of the incident, police haven’t released many details about what happened, so it’s still unknown exactly how the boy died.
His mother was also hospitalized for several days following the discovery, but once she was released, she found herself in police custody. Neighbors spoke positively about the boy and his family, which makes his death even more puzzling.
Police were called to the home in Barrie, Ontario, around 3 p.m. on December 31, 2025, CTV News reported. They were there to perform a welfare check, they said but did not share who called in the check.
When they entered the home, police found a dead 10-year-old boy. A 47-year-old woman police identified as his mother was also found in the home. She was taken to the hospital, where she remained for several days.
On January 6, 2026, Barrie Police announced that the woman had been charged with first-degree murder. She was taken into police custody that day after being medically cleared by the hospital.
“Officers from the Major Crime Unit and the Forensic Identification Unit are continuing their investigation, however due to the nature of the incident and to respect the privacy of the family involved, updates will only be provided as the investigation permits,” CTV News reported.
As police presence remained in their area, neighbors spoke about the shock of something like this happening where they live.
“Just absolutely heartbreaking. Just everybody is in absolute shock and wants to know what’s going on,” one neighbor told CTV News.
Another neighbor told Barrie Today that the family had moved to the Tamarack Woods housing complex “pretty recently.” She said she didn’t know much about them but described them as “nice.”
The woman said she had met the boy “only a couple of times” but added that said he was “cute, polite,” and “really nice.”
“I didn’t really get to know them that well … but if you see somebody in passing, you say hi, ask how they’re doing, wish them whatever holiday you’re celebrating,” she said, per Barrie Today. “You know, Happy Halloween, Merry Christmas, hand out candy, you know?”
