When resident Laurie Smith saw something white fall to the ground outside the window of her third-floor apartment, she hoped it was a pillow. But the piercing screams that followed told her otherwise.
About five metres down were the bodies of a woman, a toddler and an infant. Nearby lay 27-year-old Jerome Stephenson, the man now charged with three counts of attempted murder, three counts of aggravated assault, two of resisting arrest and one count of attempting to disarm a police officer.
Mom, Teresa Johnson, was rushed to Sunnybrook Hospital with non-life threatening injuries, while her children, Jade and Jayla -- 8-months and 2-years-old, respectively -- are in serious condition at the Hospital for Sick Children.
Neighbours claimed the family lived at the Golf Club Road apartment in Scarborough, Ont, where fighting could be heard regularly.
"A window was broken in the incident," said Staff Sgt Jim Gibson, "but a baby did not get thrown to the ground through a window."
“Let this whole situation rest,” urged a neighbour in the high rise. “This woman has been through enough.”
Time will tell the sad details of what happened on Sunday night. Meanwhile, pray for these children.
Printer-friendly version