Most likely it's not poisionous....sounds like a service berry.
Why would you have it removed? Your child needs to know not to put stray things in his mouth and you need to watch him while he is out side.
There are few things out there that really would be dangerous to a toddler if eaten...one is mistletoe a sort of parasitic vine growing high in a tree, and poke berries.
But there are lots of things growing and in your house that give a child an upset stomach if eaten.
Teach him never to eat anything he finds outside. Next year will be different.
Linda C

Thanks! I can't tell from the pictures I find online if it's serviceberry, though it looks pretty close. Hasn't flowered though, which I read usually serviceberry does in April--but maybe that's on account of it being a ground-hugging shrub instead of a lofty tree? Possible for serviceberry not to flower at all?

And yeah, the baby definitely needs to learn not to put the whole world in his mouth--but I'd prefer the lesson be non-fatal.

Unless you can get a photograph to us or a better description, I don't know how you will get a reliable identification. Knowing if the leaves are growing in an opposite or alternate arrangement would be very helpful, for example. Are the berries in clusters or borne singly along the stem?

The leaves grow in an alternate arrangement along the stalk. The berries are borne singly, not in clusters ... and I'll see if I can't borrow a digital camera!

Gussie, with no camera, clip a stem and take it to your nearest full service nursery (not a box store) if none of your neighbors know.

There are several things in the vaccinum family (huckleberry. lingonberry etc) that would be common in your state and harmless, but I agree with Lindac that whether it proves to be edible or not, this would be a good learning point for your child to not eat the landscaping since you must be supervising at this age :) Keeping things out of harms way in your own yard doesn't do much for making sure they won't be tempted without asking by something brightly colored somewhere else.

I would find out for sure what your dealing with. If it is indeed poisonous and your worried that your child might get some of the berries in his/her mouth. Then get rid of it! Its not worth the risk of a childs life.

Possibility of it being a form of cotoneaster also.

I'd agree that with a small child in the garden, identification of the plants is very important, specially those that produce berries that a toddler might find appealing. Far more plants have some degree of toxicity if ingested than those that do not. It would be foolish and premature to remove them all that have this feature, as you'd be left with a very barren garden indeed. I've raised both kids and dogs and other pets in a garden chock full of plants with varying degrees of toxicity without a single incident of unauthorized munching. It is not hard to educate children, even at a very early age, NOT to put plant parts in their mouths unless OK'd first by mom or dad (I went one step further and gave an edict that NOTHING should be eaten direct from the garden, edible or not - no mistaking anything with that broad a dictate). But to be on the safe side, ID'ing what is in the garden is essential so that in case of a "mistake", you will have the correct info to relay to ER or poison control center.

Brilliant!

Cotoneaster dammeri 'Lowfast', it is! Thanks so much.