29-year-old Mario Wint from Newmarket was briefly in court on Sunday after being charged with second degree murder in the death of his two-year-old son.
Wint was soft spoken and remained standing for the brief appearance that lasted only a few minutes.
He lived with his two sons on Longford Drive in Newmarket.
The sudden death and now the murder charges have shaken residents in his neighbourhood.
On Thursday, police say they answered a 911 call to Wint’s home and found a two-year-old not breathing.
Neighbour Marilyn Paisley saw the emergency crews at the house.
“At about 2:30 there were four cop cars, two ambulances, and a fire truck and I thought “Oh my gosh, what's going on?’ I was standing at the window and I was waiting, and the paramedics were going up and down for like half an hour and then I saw them with a little boy or a little girl putting it on a stretcher, so it totally shocked me.”
The boy was taken to hospital where he later died.
Police haven’t released any other details about what happened.
Neighbour Glenn Charron says he can’t believe the charges against Wint.
“He loved his boys,” said Charron. “He was out all the time with his boys. One was walking, the other was in a stroller in the summertime. I thought he was a good father.”
Police won’t say if the second son was at home at the time, or where he is now.
Forensic officers were still at the house on Sunday, but no further details have been released.
Wint will remain in custody until his next court appearance on January 28th.
