Врач-гинеколог подтвердил, что двухлетнюю девочку из Велланда изнасиловали узким гладким предметом, возможно, отверткой

Warning: This story includes detailed testimony and descriptions related to the sexual assault of a child that readers may find distressing. An obstetrician-gynecologist who examined a Welland toddler at McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton testified Monday evidence indicates the girl was likely sexually assaulted with an extremely narrow, smooth object — which could include a screwdriver. Dr. Valerie Bloomfield, a specialist in pediatric and adolescent gynecology, testified at a Gardiner Hearing as part of the sentencing in Ontario Court of Justice in St. Catharines for Daniel Senecal, 26. Senecal pleaded guilty on June 23 to six offences: break and enter, aggravated sexual assault on a person under 16, sexual interference, assault by choking, possession of child sexual abuse and exploitation material (CSAM), and breach of probation. A Gardiner Hearing is held after a guilty finding when the Crown and defence disagree about key facts that could affect the length of a sentence. The judge hears evidence and witness testimony to determine which facts have been proven before imposing a sentence. Bloomfield testified before Justice David Andrew Thomas at the St. Catharines courthouse. When Senecal entered his guilty plea, Niagara’s lead Crown attorney, Michal Sokolski, read an agreed statement of facts into the record stating that on Aug. 31, 2025, closed-circuit TV captured Senecal forcing entry into the basement of the victim’s apartment carrying a screwdriver and a cellphone in a pink case. He entered the three-year-old’s bedroom while she slept alone and, over about 30 minutes, choked and sexually assaulted her, causing catastrophic injuries requiring surgery. CCTV showed him leaving the building at 3:37 a.m., partially undressed and still carrying the screwdriver. Bloomfield, who holds privileges at SickKids in Toronto, Trillium Health Partners in Mississauga and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, was certified by Thomas as an expert witness after Sokolski entered her credentials into the record. She told the court she received a call from the on-call obstetrician-gynecologist at McMaster Children’s Hospital, asking for help with an incoming child. “She indicated that a child was being transferred with concerns about a pelvic injury and, since she had less experience in the assessment and management of those types of injuries, she asked if I would be available to come in to help,” Bloomfield said. A CT scan was available when she arrived. She noted the girl had a laceration at the top of her vagina extending toward her anus. “We were concerned that she had injuries that could be life-threatening if they weren’t identified and corrected urgently,” she said. The victim was immediately taken to an operating room and anesthetized for a more extensive examination, with a breathing tube inserted to control her vitals. Doctors also inserted a camera through her navel to examine her abdominal cavity. “When there’s a perforation through the vagina, there’s always concern that something on the other side — such as the bladder, bowels, blood vessels or nerves — could also be injured,” Bloomfield said. The laceration was closed with sutures that rejoined the muscle layers and vaginal lining. Bloomfield testified that before estrogen production begins, a prepubescent vaginal canal is relatively inelastic and narrow. She said the absence of injuries or bruising along the victim’s vaginal walls indicated the use of a narrow instrument. “I would not expect that anything but a narrow object would be able to slide to the top of the vagina without causing injury to the side walls,” she said. “I would expect the object to be smooth because there were no lacerations or scratches.” She said it was unlikely a penis or finger caused the injury. Cross-examination During cross-examination, defence lawyer Michael Peterson showed Bloomfield a Niagara Regional Police photo of Senecal’s hand and asked whether the nail on his pinky finger extended past the fingertip and whether a fingernail could have caused a laceration of that size. Bloomfield answered yes to both. On redirect, Sokolski pressed further, noting Bloomfield appeared to have more to add before Peterson ended his questioning. She explained that an adult finger would span the full width of the vaginal canal, and she would expect to see injuries along its length — testimony she confirmed she had already given. Bloomfield is the only Crown witness at the hearing. Peterson told Thomas he is not calling any witnesses. Closing arguments are scheduled for Sept. 15, after which a sentencing date will be set. As in all sexual assault cases, a publication ban is in place on any information that could identify the victim. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page.