Overview

• Daniel Senecal, 25, appeared by video Wednesday in St. Catharines, with the bail hearing adjourned to Oct. 15, according to CBC and local radio reports.
• Senecal is charged with aggravated sexual assault on a person under 16, assault, assault by choking, breaking and entering, and sexual interference.
• Niagara Regional Police say an intruder entered a Welland home overnight Aug. 30–31 and sexually assaulted a child under five, who suffered serious injuries and is in stable condition.
• Investigators reviewed surveillance footage to identify the suspect and say he was known to the family for a short time before the incident.
• Police say a publication ban restricts disclosure and they cannot identify registered offenders; media have reported a 2023 sexual-assault conviction and SOIRA conditions from 2024, and protesters gathered outside the courthouse with a brief road closure.