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Police have arrested a 17-year-old boy in the case who has been charged with attempted murder and sexual assault with a weapon. 

While the investigation is still underway, police are planning to give as much information as possible to locals “to ensure they know how serious we are about ensuring that we brought this to a conclusion,� OPP spokesperson Bill Dickson said. 

Here’s what we know about the case so far.

HOW THE POLICE INVESTIGATION UNFOLDED

OPP officers from the emergency response team and canine units responded to a call for a missing child in Quadeville shortly after 9 p.m. on June 23.

After a few hours of searching, the canine unit found the girl with life-threatening injuries along Quadeville Road shortly after midnight on June 24.

The child was brought to a local hospital and later taken to a regional trauma centre where she remains. 

On June 25, the OPP said in a press release that a child had been injured in an “incident� that investigators believed to be an animal attack, adding that “further testing and analysis� was required. 

The girl’s wounds were “consistent with an animal attack,� and the theory was supported by “multiple medical and pathology experts,� Dickson said. 

Investigators said they were working with the Ministry of Natural Resources and advised parents in the area to keep their small children indoors or under close supervision as a precaution. 

On July 4, just a little over a week after the girl was found, the OPP said they were seeking a potential witness who was in the Quadeville area before the attack. 

Police described this witness as a man in his 60s who may have information that could help police. It’s unclear whether the witness was ever identified or had any role in the investigation. 

Investigators once again told parents to “remain vigilant� by keeping their children under close supervision while outside, adding that animal traps had been set out in the area as a “precautionary measure.� 

TEEN ARRESTED, CHARGES LAID 

As the investigation continued, police discovered that there were no traces of animal DNA from the victim’s wounds, Dickson said. 

“Even though we did suspect it was an animal attack, we kept going because you can’t have tunnel vision,� Dickson said, adding that investigators didn’t rule out the possibility of human involvement. 

On Tuesday, exactly two weeks after the child was found, the OPP arrested and charged a 17-year-old boy from eastern Ontario in connection with the alleged attack.

Because the suspect is a minor, he cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Police said he appeared in court on Wednesday. 

COMMUNITY REACTION

The tight-knit community was shaken by the news of the teenager’s arrest, although some residents said they doubted the animal attack theory from the start. 

“We are from a rural town, we know what teeth marks would look like,â€� said Christine Hudder, who lives about four kilometres away and who helped her sons organize a lemonade stand that raised $400 for the girl last week. 

Hudder said she hopes police will provide more clarity on Saturday about why they initially suspected an animal attack and why families were told to keep their children indoors.

In a community where everybody knows everybody, Hudder said she was taken aback by initial reports of the missing child.

“That never happens in Quadeville,” she said.

Wanda Resmer, secretary of the local community centre, said it will take time for the fear to dissipate and for the community to heal. 

“People are never going to forget it. Probably every day of our life, it’ll be in our minds,â€� she said.