SickKids doctor charged with child exploitation

Dr. Dilan Dissanayake, a staff rheumatologist at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children, was arrested on July 21, 2026, and charged with one count of possessing child sexual abuse material and one count of accessing child sexual abuse and exploitation material. The charges stem from an investigation by the Canada — Edmonton Police Service's Internet Child Exploitation Unit that began in January 2026 after an electronic device was allegedly used to access and download such material. Police executed search warrants at the hospital and a private residence in February, seizing multiple devices including a work computer. Police have stated there is no evidence linking the material to Dissanayake's medical practice. SickKids placed him on immediate leave upon learning of the investigation, and the Canada — College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta suspended his medical registration. The University of Toronto, where he was a clinical faculty member, also placed him on administrative leave. Dissanayake was granted bail with conditions including a ban from social media and online messaging platforms. The allegations have not been tested in court.