Ontario father who killed 2-year-old son to be released to half-way house

An Ontario father found guilty in the death of his two-year-old son will have to live in a half-way house and will have to report any relationships with females to a parole officer as part of a host of conditions imposed as part of his release.

Mario Wint pleaded guilty to manslaughter in 2016 after originally being charged with second-degree murder in the January 2015 death of his two-year-old son, Ty.

He was sentenced to 10 years in prison, but was credited two years for time spent in custody. Having served two-thirds of that sentence, Wint has been granted a statutory release.

In a decision earlier this month, the parole board slapped a slew of conditions on 36-year-old Wint, which if not followed could mean a return to prison.

Those conditions will mean Wint will not be allowed to have contact with any of the victims associated with his crimes, cannot consume alcohol or drugs, must follow a treatment plan on anger and domestic violence, and cannot be in a position of care of control for anyone under the age of 16.

'Delayed calling 911 for several hours'

According to an agreed statement of facts, on the morning of Jan. 22, 2015, Wint lost his temper and hit Ty more than once in the abdomen "with significant force," causing devastating internal injuries that subsequently caused the child's death.

"After striking Ty, Mario Wint knew that he had caused serious injury to his son. He delayed calling 911 for several hours out of fear that what he had done would be discovered," the statement of facts said.

Court heard that after hitting Ty, Wint refused to take his son to a medical clinic at the suggestion of his own mother, who noticed her grandson looking unwell during a late-morning visit to her home. When he called 911, hours later at his own home, first responders found the boy with no vital signs.

"Mario Wint lied to the 911 operator and emergency responders about what had happened to his son in an effort to protect himself," the agreed statement of facts said. "This impacted the medical care provided for Ty."

An autopsy revealed "extensive" blunt force injuries to Ty's chest and abdomen, severe internal bleeding and bruises on the boy's head as well, court heard.

A coroner also estimated the toddler likely survived about three hours after being injured, the board said in its decision.

Wint's lawyer said at the time of his sentencing that his client was "tremendously remorseful."

Vast criminal history

In its decision, the board pointed to Wint's vast criminal history, indicating there is at risk of reoffending.

"...You have used weapons during the commission of offences, including a knife, your hands and elbows, and knees. You have forced vaginal intercourse, pulled a victim's hair dragging her down two flights of stairs, and threatened to hang a victim by a belt from the balcony.

"You grabbed a victim's three month old baby and, after shaking the child violently, threatened to flush him down a toilet. You also grabbed a victim's four year old child and held a lighter to him, threatening to set him on fire. You threatened another individual, by putting your hands in the shape of a gun and told the victim if he was there when you returned, you would shoot him in the face."

The board said the Correctional Service of Canada took into consideration allowing Wint to reside in transitional housing or using enhanced monitoring, but that it deemed those measures insufficient to managing his risk to the community.

As such, Wint will have to reside in a government-approved facility until the end of his sentence, though the board could choose to lift that condition if Wint is deemed to no longer present a risk to society.

"Your actions resulted in the senseless loss of life of a young child," the board said. "Those who loved the victim will experience this loss for the rest of their lives."