A B.C. man in his 50s has been arrested several years after the death of a toddler who may have been poisoned with snake venom.
In a statement released Monday, North Vancouver RCMP said they've arrested 51-year-old Henry Thomas in connection with the 2014 death.
Thomas appeared in court Monday, where he was denied bail.
The Agassiz resident had the two-year-old girl in his care on May 18, Mounties said. Court documents and an obituary identified the girl as Aleka Esa-Bella Scheyk Gonzales.
Officials have not said how she was connected to Thomas.
He returned the girl to her mother in North Vancouver that day, and she was dead by the next morning.
An in-depth investigation determined that snake venom was the girl's cause of death, the RCMP said.
However, the BC Coroners Service said the cause of death has not yet been made official.
"RCMP have said they suspect venom is related to the death, but the official answer will come from the coroners service. The coroners service won't conclude their investigation until the Crown process wraps up," a spokesperson told CTV News.
"The coroners service doesn't speculate on open investigations."
In July 2015, a search warrant was executed at Thomas's residence, and police said they seized snakes and equipment from the home.
An arrest warrant was issued for the 51-year-old suspect, who was brought into custody last week.
Thomas has since been charged with failing to provide the necessities of life.
"This is a very tragic incident that resulted in a complex, unique investigation by police and support agencies," North Vancouver RCMP Supt. Chris Kennedy said in the statement.
"Our condolences are extended to the family and the community of the deceased child."
Gonzales' obituary says she will be remembered for her silliness and joy. She loved the colour purple, her toy monkey and dandelions.
With files from CTV Vancouver's Allison Hurst
