"Kids don't just die." So what happened to the little girl in Rosedale?

Plus, frustrating wait times for would-be immigrants, and highlights from the CPC leadership debate [The Star] First Up [By Manuela Vega] By Manuela Vega Good morning. Here’s the latest on a little girl whose remains were found in Toronto, why applicants are growing annoyed at Canada’s immigration processing system and where Conservative leadership hopefuls stand on abortion rights.  DON’T MISS Paige Taylor White/The Star crime [Investigators chase tiny clues about the life of a young girl found in a Rosedale dumpster]( (Warning: Contains graphic content) Glimpses are emerging of the young girl whose body was found wrapped in a butterfly-patterned baby blanket and placed in a large red dumpster in Rosedale. She had curly black hair, sectioned off into ponytails and braids. Between four and seven years old, according to a post-mortem investigation, the little girl was Black, African or mixed African. She stood three foot six. We still don’t know who she was or how she died, but a small memorial is growing at the walkway where she was found. [Here’s what police say they’re doing to find answers](. - The aftermath: Police say they contacted local school boards to help identify the girl, but spokespeople for both the Toronto District School Board and the Catholic board told the Star they were unaware of any communication. - Go deeper: The investigation is in its early stages, but there already appear to be parallels between this case and two previous Toronto cases: that of a five-year-old girl who died in 1999, and a 17-year-old girl who died in 1994, both of whom were found in similar circumstances, and whose parents were later convicted of murder. Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick immigration [Canada is leaving some would-be immigrants waiting just to hear whether their application has been received ]( Last September, Manmeet Kaur applied to sponsor her newlywed husband from India to join her in Canada. While she assumed the process would be faster online than by courier, she grew increasingly frustrated to find that others who applied by mail months after her were receiving confirmation before she heard anything back. And she’s not alone. As online communities of immigrants compare wait times, more and more are realizing their applications aren’t being reviewed on a “first come, first served” basis. With backlogs soaring and older applications piling up, the frustration is reaching new heights. [Here’s what some applicants are experiencing](. - More: “If you’re stuck in the system, it’s a really bad situation,” said one person waiting on confirmation of a spousal application. “There has to be a time limit.” - By the numbers: There is currently a backlog of more than 1.8 million applications across immigration programs. - ICYMI: [Here’s how the pandemic wreaked havoc on the immigration system](. Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld CPC leadership [Federal Conservative leadership candidates went head-to-head on abortion rights and the convoy]( Candidates bickered about abortion and grew heated over the so-called “Freedom Convoy” during the Conservative leadership race’s inaugural debate Thursday. Pierre Poilievre, considered the front-runner, refused to say where he stands on abortion, although his campaign says he would not restrict access in Canada. Leslyn Lewis, meanwhile, openly opposes abortion access. On the occupation of Ottawa, Jean Charest was nearly silenced by boos when he called it an illegal blockade, in stark contrast to Roman Baber, who has been vocal about his support for the anti-vaccine and anti-lockdown movement. [Here are the highlights from the 90-minute throwdown](. - ICYMI: [Here’s who’s in, who’s out]( of the Conservative leadership race. - Another angle: This is [how the anti-abortion movement is changing tactics]( to reach a bigger audience. WHAT ELSE [To F bomb or not to F bomb?]( Why that for-letter word Justin Trudeau did or didn’t say still matters. A Hedley “fangirl” was thrilled to meet Jacob Hoggard at age 12. At 16, [prosecutors say he raped her](. COVID wastewater signals are decreasing across Toronto. [Check the spread in your neighbourhood here](. To solve its housing crisis, Nova Scotia tried to tax out-of-province home buyers. [It didn’t work](. ‘I would have never sold it.’ Doug Ford says [privatizing Highway 407 was a mistake](. The NDP promises [dental care plans for low- and middle-income Ontarians](. Liberals say they would [cap classrooms at 20 students]( by hiring 10,000 more teachers. [Long lines persist at Pearson]( as GardaWorld looks to hire more airport screeners. He went to BMO and ended up in handcuffs. As part of a settlement, [this Indigenous artist’s work will hang on its walls](. As Service Canada reports a backlog in passport applications, [people are advertising “line-standing” services for a fee](. Costco Mastercard customers continue to complain about the [“frustrating” CIBC takeover from Capital One](. In a dramatic finish, Mattea Roach, ‘Jeopardy!’ champ [wins her 23rd game in a row on a final question](. POV Evelyn Kwong/The Star [How Toronto’s mainstay Chinese restaurants bring me and my mom closer to our history — and each other. ]( CLOSE-UP Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck VANCOUVER: Ava Banuelos, four, sports a red handprint on her face as she and her mom, Dana Tellefson, attend a Red Dress Day ceremony marking the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirited people in Canada, on Thursday. Thank you for reading. You can reach me and the First Up team at [firstup@thestar.ca](mailto:firstup@thestar.ca?source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=emailutm_email=6C53B63A8E3FAD70AD4EF13004527437&utm_campaign=frst_121924). Jordan Tamblyn will be in your inbox tomorrow. [The Star]( If you're not enjoying these emails, please tell us how we can make them better by emailing newsletterfeedback@thestar.ca. Or, if you'd prefer, you can unsubscribe from this newsletter by clicking the first link below. [Unsubscribe From This Newsletter]( [Sign Up for More Newsletters and Email Alerts]( [Become a Star Subscriber]( [View in Browser]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. One Yonge Street, 4th Floor, Toronto, ON M5E 1E6. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](