Community holds memorial service for little girl found dead in Toronto dumpster

Rosedale Presbyterian Church on Saturday hosted a memorial service for a girl whose body was found in a dumpster in the area one year ago.

Police have not been able to identify the girl, believed to be between four and seven years old.

Daniel Cho, the minister at the church, said the service gave members of the community an opportunity “to come together and grieve together.”

“We’ve been able to speak with some of the neighbours in this area and, you know, we’ve learned that a lot of them grieved in their own private way, in their own private space,” Cho said. 

He said it was the first time since last year that the community had come together “as a collective to support each other, to affirm this girl’s life.”

“Her death was [in] awful circumstances and so we want to bring some dignity and honour to her and that’s really the point of this. We just want to come together.”

Toronto police have said the girl was likely of African or mixed African descent. She was three feet, six inches tall, with a thin build. Her black curly hair was sectioned in four short ponytails, two of which were braided and tied with black and blue elastics. She had all her teeth.

Investigators believe her remains were left in the area between April 28 and May 2 of last year. The girl, however, may have died as early as the summer or fall of 2021, or even earlier, police have said.

Investigators don’t believe the girl was ever reported missing to police in Canada.

Michelle Miller-Guillot, a member of the Rosedale Presbyterian Church congregation, said “it’s important for us as a community to come together and to grieve.”

“Every child deserves a name, every child deserves to leave this earth with dignity, with some honour,” she told CBC Toronto.

“I’m also hopeful that somebody who knows something is going to see that there’s a community grieving for this child that they might know and that they’ll feel support and love.”

Police continue to investigate the girl’s death. They are asking anyone with information to contact 416-808-5300, or to leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers by calling 416-222-TIPS (8477).