Victoria toddler found in hotel, Saam Zohrevand, died of natural causes: B.C. Coroners Service
The B.C. Coroners Service has determined the toddler who was found dead in a Victoria hotel room last month died of natural causes.
Victoria police were called to investigate after people saw a distraught woman screaming in a Douglas Street hotel at 4 a.m. PT on July 18. Officers found the woman and two children in the hotel, and the 18-month-old child, Saam Zohrevand, had no vital signs.
"Microbiology findings showed that Saam had developed both a lung infection and a type of bacterial meningitis," said Island Regional Coroner Matt Brown. "These illnesses became severe over a short period of time."
The coroners service and Victoria police are continuing to investigate the death of the toddler, who was also known as Saam Darya.
Police watchdog investigating death
In addition, B.C.'s police watchdog, the Independent Investigations Office, is also investigating the toddler's death after reports the police had talked to the child's mother twice before.
Members of the Masjid Al-Iman mosque said they called police, disturbed by a frantic "praying" woman, the day before her toddler was found dead in a downtown hotel.
She appeared to be praying with a toddler in her hands and had a second child with her.
The province's child-protection department is also keeping a close eye on this case.
"Frequently a child protection issue is not reported and this creates a gap and It creates a safety problem. I can't say that was the case here," said Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, the B.C. Representative for Children and Youth, in an interview last month . "But it is a lens I will be applying as the evidence comes forward."
