Quebec toddler shot dead.

By Postmedia News

MONTREAL — Police are investigating after a toddler was somehow shot dead Thursday night in Levis, Que., near Quebec City.

A male friend of the two-year-old boy’s mother has been arrested, Quebec provincial police said.

Sgt. Genevieve Bruneau said the child was found dead at a home around 6:30 p.m. local time.

His mother and his mother’s friend were there when police arrived. They were taken to a hospital to be treated for shock, police added. The man was later arrested.

Sgt. Richard Gagne said police are investigating whether the firearm that killed the boy was properly stored. If it wasn’t there could be criminal charges, Gagne said.

Police said they are also investigating reports the mother had posted a message on her Facebook account in recent days, saying she feared for her son’s safety as well as her own. It’s unclear whether that was related to the boy’s death, police said.

Montreal Gazette

PN 5/04/12 9:21:50