Toronto girl's murder horrified veteran homicide detective Edit Text

Katelynn Sampson
Posted By SUN MEDIA
Posted -8 sec ago


The chubby-cheeked seven-year-old slept on the floor like a dog.

Katelynn Sampson's murder was brutal enough to horrify a veteran homicide detective and demand a day-long autopsy.

Now, details are emerging about the pathetic and hellish life the affable youngster lived while in custody of a legal guardian before she died.

"What I saw was probably the worst thing I've seen in 20 years of policing. The worst," Det.-Sgt. Steve Ryan said of Sunday's murder which has resonated with parents and children across the GTA.

Ryan's comments echoed earlier ones he made, calling Katelynn's slaying "the work of the devil."

Adding to the chilling details of the case made public, Ryan revealed the grade 3 student appeared to have been sleeping on the floor in a bedroom at accused killer Donna Irving's second-floor apartment.

In a gruesome twist, Tuesday's autopsy at The Hospital For Sick Children began at 10:30 a. m. but hadn't been completed by 5 p. m. due to the "nature and severity of Katelynn's injuries," police said.

As rain poured down Tuesday outside 105 West Lodge Ave., where Katelynn was found, Ryan repeated his call for anyone with evidence the child was being abused in months leading up to her killing to contact police.

"I'm hearing a lot of third-hand information, which I can describe as disturbing," Ryan said. "But I'd like to speak to all these people who are providing this third hand information.

"Teachers, neighbours, convenience store owners, I don't care who they are," he added. "If they have information, regardless of how insignificant they may think it is, it could be important to us."

Ryan said there had been suggestions Katelynn was seen in the past with marks on her body.


"There are indications that there may be a history (of abuse)," he said. "It's something we haven't confirmed yet.

"(But) what I observed, as a nonmedical person, some of those injuries did not appear to be fresh injuries."