Toronto cop who allegedly ignored domestic violence report charged after woman's death
CBC
A Toronto police officer is facing a host of misconduct charges after allegedly failing to properly investigate and report a call for help in a domestic violence case where a woman was shot and killed only days later.
The victim, 23-year-old Daniella Mallia, was found shot in an underground garage in Toronto in August of last year.
Just three days before, according to Toronto police hearing documents outlining the case, Mallia reported to investigators that her ex-boyfriend Dylon Dowman — who is now facing a first-degree murder charge — had been threatening and harassing her in text messages.
Yet Toronto police Const. Anson Alfonso, who is facing police act charges including deceit, neglect of duty and making false or misleading statements, only spoke to Dowman for three minutes and did nothing to help Mallia despite her pleas for help, the hearing documents say.
"Ultimately, you took no action to protect the complainant despite her repeated pleas that her ex-boyfriend's behaviour caused her to fear for her safety," the Toronto police document reads.
None of the allegations levied against Dowman or Alfonso have been proven in court or at the tribunal, respectively. News of the misconduct charges against Alfonso were first reported by The Toronto Star. CBC Toronto has reached out to Alfonso's lawyer for comment.
According to a police notice of hearing, Alfonso was working in a uniform capacity at 32 Division on Aug. 15, 2022 when he and his partner, Const. Sang Youb Lee, went to a call about a domestic incident that was captured on body-worn camera footage.
Lee is also being charged with misconduct in connection with this case, a Toronto police spokesperson told CBC News, but those allegations have not yet been made public.
Mallia told the officers her ex-boyfriend had been harassing and threatening her in text messages. They spoke with her for about 39 minutes, and in that time gathered information and evidence that provided "reasonable grounds to believe a criminal offence had occurred," according to the hearing documents.
Yet Alfonso only spoke to Dowman for three minutes, and "failed to conduct a sufficient investigation and/or ensure the appropriate next steps were taken," according to Toronto police.
The hearing documents lay out a multitude of allegations against Alfonso, including:
"The complainant repeatedly advised you that her ex-boyfriend's behaviour caused her to fear for her safety, and you took no action to protect her," the notice of hearing reads.
An Instagram post from last year made by Pet Valu, where Mallia was employed, paid tribute to her as a "beloved friend and colleague" who "made a great impact on so many people.
"For Daniella who was full of joy and compassion, and sass, please be kind to one another," it read.
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