By Pepper Parr
May 30th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Regional Police announced earlier today that they have laid the criminal code charge of
Criminal Negligence Causing Death
Failing to Provide the Necessaries of Life
against Shaun Pennell, a 37 year old Aldershot resident.
Following an investigation into the sudden death of a young toddler in Burlington on May 23, 2018, the Halton Regional Police Service has laid the charges against the father.
Pennell was released on a Promise to Appear. He is scheduled to appear in Milton Court on June 27, 2018.
Just after 5:30pm on Wednesday, May 23, 2018 Halton Regional Police Service and Halton Region Paramedic Services responded to a call for an unresponsive child in a vehicle, located in a parking lot of a the rear of the Crossroads Centre on the North Service Road, Burlington.
Despite lifesaving measures attempted by first responders, the child was pronounced deceased at the scene.
A post mortem was conducted on May 24, 2018 and the preliminary cause of death was determined to be hyperthermia, consistent with the child being left in a vehicle and exposed to high temperatures for an extended period of time.
The Gazette knows Shaun Pennell. He was involved in an initiative to turn parts of the Crossroads building into a work/play location that appealed to the younger entrepreneurial set that would have had a day care centre for children.
Pennell operated the Burlington Hive in the downtown core and then the Halton Hive that was located on Guelph Line at Harvester Road.
Shaun is a brilliant computer programmer who is imaginative and creative.
This tragedy is beyond understanding. The grief in the hearts of every member of the family cannot even be imagined.
The Courts will deal with the criminal charges. Those who know Shaun and his wife can only pray for them and support them in what is going to be a very hard period of time.
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I agree with Judy, this had to be the much more suffering as any Court could give him and his family. Pray for him and his wife.
so so sad. Never know what this life is going to bring. I think that losing a child, no matter what the cause, is suffering enough for anyone. I hope everyone learns a lesson from this.