A 17-year-old boy was charged with the attempted murder and sexual assault of an 8-year-old girl that Canadian investigators first believed to be the work of an animal.
Police in Ottawa told the community where the victim went missing two weeks ago that she was the victim of an attack not committed by a person, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
The girl was reported missing on June 23 and located the following day with serious injuries.
Experts who examined the victim first believed her injuries were consistent with a “wild animal” attack, though investigators said they never dismissed other possibilities.
“It was a tough balancing act to say, we don’t want to cause undue panic, but we also don’t want to underplay this and potentially, if it is an animal, have some other child suffer a similar fate,” Ontario Provincial Police Bill Dickson told Canada’s CTV News.
Forensic testing later revealed no animal DNA in the girl’s wounds. The unidentified assailant reportedly used an unspecified weapon during the attack.
The CBC reported the victim is currently “doing extremely well” while recovering from the ordeal in a Canadian hospital.
A motive for the assault has not been reported and it’s unclear if the suspect knew the victim.
Police plan to host a Saturday town hall, where more information is expected to be provided.
