3-year-old dies following alleged highrise arson

A three-year-old girl who washospitalized after an alleged arson at a highrise building earlier this month has died, according to Ottawa police.

The fire broke out on the third floor of the tower at the east end of Donald Street around 6 a.m. on May 2 and sent three people to hospital with life-threatening injuries.

An Ottawa man, 42-year-oldSaeed Mohamed, was charged last week with three counts of attempted murder and arson, plus other alleged offences.

On Monday night, Ottawa police upgraded one of the attempted murder charges to a charge of first-degree murder.

Ottawa police identified the three-year-old asKarimaMoustaphaandconfirmed she died of her injuries on Saturdayafter being in critical condition following the fire.

Two attempted murder charges, onecharge of arson causing bodily harm and the charge of possessing incendiary material against Mohamedhave been removed, leaving five charges in total: four arson-related, plus first-degree murder.

Mohamed remains in custody and is due back in court this week.