A Sri Lankan doctor at the Toronto Hospital for Sick Children has been arrested and charged with possession and access to child sexual abuse and exploitation material, Toronto police said in a news release.Dylan Dissanayake, 44, was detained by officers from the force’s online child exploitation unit after investigating the alleged use of an electronic device to access and download child sexual abuse and exploitation material.Police said the investigation began in January 2026. In February, investigators executed search warrants at the Hospital for Sick Children and a private residence, where they seized multiple electronic devices, including a work computer.Dissanayake was charged with possession of child sexual abuse and exploitation material and access to child sexual abuse and exploitation material. He was scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice on Tuesday. The charges against him have not been tested in court.Toronto police said investigators found no evidence that the alleged child sexual abuse and exploitation material was linked to Dissanayake’s work as a doctor.
The investigation is still ongoing.In a statement posted on its website, Hospital for Sick Children said it was “deeply disturbed and appalled” by the allegations and condemned the behavior described by police.The hospital said Dissanayake was placed on immediate leave after learning of the investigation. She added that Toronto police advised that there was no evidence linking the charges to his medical practice, and that they had not been informed of any risk to patients or their families.The hospital also said families of patients who received care from Dissanayake can contact the patient relations team if they have any concerns.