One of the Ottawa Police investigators was found guilty of "improper conduct" after a series of failures in investigating two separate child fatalities, raising widespread controversy regarding accountability mechanisms within the security apparatus.

Detective Chris O'Brien, who served in the Major Crimes Unit, was found guilty following an internal review that concluded he had not followed basic procedures in two investigations that occurred in 2020 and 2021, one relating to the death of a newborn and the other to a two-year-old girl.

The findings from the disciplinary accountability sessions indicated that the investigator did not conduct interviews with key witnesses, ignored forensic reports, and failed to adequately document his steps, which harmed the credibility of the investigations and caused distress to the affected families.

In the hearing held this week, the disciplinary officer described the behavior as "systemic failure negatively impacting public trust," noting that the conviction was not only about procedural errors but also about a lack of professionalism in highly sensitive cases.

Despite the conviction, the police have not yet issued a final decision regarding the disciplinary penalty, which could lead to suspension or removal from office, amid calls from the local community for greater transparency and accountability.

This case is one of the most prominent incidents affecting the Ottawa Police recently, highlighting ongoing challenges in dealing with child fatalities within the criminal justice system.