Child, 2, killed in excavator collision near Thetford Mines

A two-year-old boy lost his life Saturday night in a collision involving an excavator on private property in Irlande, near Thetford Mines in the Chaudière-Appalaches region.

Emergency services responded to the scene around 8:15 p.m. along Route 165. The Sûreté du Québec confirmed the death upon arrival, according to Sergeant Frédéric Deshaies, spokesman for the SQ.

The driver of the excavator, a man in his twenties, met with investigators as did the victim's neighbours and relatives. He was later released with a promise to appear in court at a later date. The SQ's Major Crime Investigation Division is investigating, supported by a reconstructionist dispatched to understand the circumstances. Under the Coroners Act, the SQ automatically investigates when a young child dies.