Post by Blair on Jul 3, 2005 16:43:09 GMT -5
CAMBRIDGE, Ont. (CP) - The search for a missing boy just weeks shy of his second birthday ended in heartbreak Sunday when the child's remains were found by police in southwestern Ontario. The grim discovery in Cambridge prompted police in Donovan Gordon Clubb's hometown of Chatham to announce that the 22-month-old, who had been missing since Thursday, was dead.
Police charged the boyfriend of the toddler's mother with first-degree murder.
Shawn Palmer, 36, was taken into custody on Canada Day and interrogated over the weekend, Waterloo Regional police said at a news conference Sunday.
"Those remains we believe to be that of Donovan Clubb, but we are waiting conformation from an autopsy," said Staff Sgt. Adrian Darmond of the Kitchener police, who would not give a cause of death.
The boy had been the subject of a province-wide search.
Police said Palmer and the toddler had been travelling together in the Simcoe County area, north of Toronto, on Monday and were expected to return to Chatham on Wednesday.
"Donny's mother was well aware that Donny was going to go away for a period of time with Mr. Palmer," said Insp. George Flickweert of Chatham police.
"What they did there, we're not 100 per cent sure, but they were there for several days."
Police said Courtney Catton, 21, went to bed Wednesday night thinking her son was back home, but awoke Thursday to find that he had not been returned.
She called police and reported the child missing, and police issued an Amber alert.
Initially, police wouldn't say where Palmer is from, mentioning only that he has "connections" in the Barrie area.
Police said Palmer was to make an audio court appearance in Chatham on Wednesday.
Palmer was arrested Friday at a house in Kitchener, Ont., but the young boy was not with him.
The child's father, Matt Clubb, 21, said Saturday that he feared the worst when he learned his son was not with Palmer when the suspect was taken into custody.
Clubb said he had not seen his son since about February because of a court order.
Catton's sister has said Palmer has children of his own.
news.yahoo.com/s/cpress/20050703/ca_pr_on_na/crime_toddler_killed
Police charged the boyfriend of the toddler's mother with first-degree murder.
Shawn Palmer, 36, was taken into custody on Canada Day and interrogated over the weekend, Waterloo Regional police said at a news conference Sunday.
"Those remains we believe to be that of Donovan Clubb, but we are waiting conformation from an autopsy," said Staff Sgt. Adrian Darmond of the Kitchener police, who would not give a cause of death.
The boy had been the subject of a province-wide search.
Police said Palmer and the toddler had been travelling together in the Simcoe County area, north of Toronto, on Monday and were expected to return to Chatham on Wednesday.
"Donny's mother was well aware that Donny was going to go away for a period of time with Mr. Palmer," said Insp. George Flickweert of Chatham police.
"What they did there, we're not 100 per cent sure, but they were there for several days."
Police said Courtney Catton, 21, went to bed Wednesday night thinking her son was back home, but awoke Thursday to find that he had not been returned.
She called police and reported the child missing, and police issued an Amber alert.
Initially, police wouldn't say where Palmer is from, mentioning only that he has "connections" in the Barrie area.
Police said Palmer was to make an audio court appearance in Chatham on Wednesday.
Palmer was arrested Friday at a house in Kitchener, Ont., but the young boy was not with him.
The child's father, Matt Clubb, 21, said Saturday that he feared the worst when he learned his son was not with Palmer when the suspect was taken into custody.
Clubb said he had not seen his son since about February because of a court order.
Catton's sister has said Palmer has children of his own.
news.yahoo.com/s/cpress/20050703/ca_pr_on_na/crime_toddler_killed
