Toronto man charged with first-degree murder after allegedly poisoning toddler's cereal

Toronto resident Francis Ngugi had his charges upgraded Wednesday to first-degree murder in the death of 3-year-old Bernice Nantanda Wamala, who died in March after police say she ate poisoned cereal.

Police say Ngugi obtained the controlled substance used to poison Wamala at his play of employment. Wamala and another child ate the cereal while they were at another family's home for a sleepover. The sleepover was taking place at another apartment in the same building that Wamala's parents lived.

"All I am praying for is my daughter’s justice," Maurine Mirembe told CTV News Toronto. "When I went upstairs, I found Bernice laying in a chair," Mirembe said at the time, adding that her daughter was barely breathing. "She was so weak and when I checked her mouth it was grey." She continued, "I even squeezed her middle finger to see if the blood was moving, but nothing."

After calling 911 the operator advised Mirembe to take Wamala to the nearest hospital. The child was rushed to Michael Garron Hospital and placed on oxygen. After numerous tests and the best efforts by all the doctors to resuscitate Wamala, Mirembe said her daughter was taken off life support.

Ngugi had originally been charged with two counts of administering a noxious substance to endanger life, two counts of unlawfully causing bodily harm and criminal negligence causing death. This week those charge were dropped in court and replaced with the first-degree murder and attempted murder charges.

Mirembe has set up a GoFundMe which has raised over $40,000 since it was started. Toronto Police have yet to release what exactly was the substance that caused Wamala's death.