The 19-year-old, who was already on trial in Bois-des-Filion last month for shooting a three-year-old child, has had a serious charge of involuntary manslaughter added to his list.
Yacine Mehennaoui was initially charged with criminal negligence causing death, possession of a loaded illegal firearm and obstruction of justice for attempting to destroy evidence.
But the investigation by the Personal Crimes Unit of the Sûreté du Québec continued, and a few days ago a new charge was filed, namely using a firearm to cause the child's death.
Photo agency QMI, Maxime Deland
This manslaughter charge is in addition to the others he has already faced.
The tragedy occurred on November 6 at the defendant's house. The young victim, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, was visiting there at the time.
Thanks to a travel visa, the toddler had just arrived in Canada with his mother.
Yacine Mehennaoui, defendant Photo from Abdelhak Mehennaoui's Facebook account
Released from custody
The child's father had to leave Algeria to join them in the hope of a better life, but this tragedy had eclipsed their “Canadian dream,” as he had previously stated in an interview with the Journal.
Yacine Mehennaoui has been detained since his arrest. But at the end of his bail hearing, held this week at the Laval courthouse, he was able to regain his freedom under different conditions.
The Journal reported that when the investigation began, the murder weapon was nowhere to be found as attempts were made to get rid of it.
Photo agency QMI, Maxime Deland
An army of police had also been monitoring the banks of the Mille-Îles river, which borders the residential area where the tragedy occurred. Dog handlers also combed the area and searched the garbage cans of all residents in the area.
The defendant returns to court next February.