National

Mother of girl found dead in rural Alberta charged with first-degree murder

Darpan News Desk Canadian Press, 08 Sep, 2014 11:40 AM

The mother of a nine-year-old girl found dead in a vehicle on a rural road in west-central Alberta has been charged with first-degree murder.

Laura Coward, who is 47, cried as she appeared in Didsbury court via closed-circuit television.

She was to face charges of abducting the girl in violation of a court order, break and enter and theft.

But RCMP say those counts were replaced by the first-degree murder charge.

Coward was arrested on Tuesday near Sundre when she was found standing outside the vehicle in which her dead daughter, Amber Lucius (LOO'-she-ah), was discovered.

Her next court appearance has been set for Oct. 6 in Calgary.

Amber's father, Duane Lucius, says a funeral for his daughter will be held later this week.

He says it's important that parents not take their children for granted and to make time to "have fun" with them because they could be taken from them at any time.

Lucius says he is devastated by the loss of his "innocent, sweet and lovely daughter."

"My heart is broken. The time I had with Amber was cut short but the time I had with her will always be the most special time of my life," he said in a statement released Monday.

Court documents describe the bitter divorce of Lucius and Coward and a custody tug-of-war over their daughter that continued up until the girl was found dead.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Newfoundlanders Who Lined Up To Serve In WWI Still Revered As The Blue Puttees

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Diana Snow's grandfather was among hundreds of Newfoundlanders who lined up a century ago to fight in the First World War as part of a fervent bid to help Britain.

Newfoundlanders Who Lined Up To Serve In WWI Still Revered As The Blue Puttees

Nato Pushes For Bigger Crisis Response Brigade As Canada Mulls Opportunity

OTTAWA - Canada will send troops, jets and warships to participate in a massive NATO training exercise next year in a deployment that could be the first step towards deeper involvement in the alliance's long-term strategy to counter a resurgent Russia.

Nato Pushes For Bigger Crisis Response Brigade As Canada Mulls Opportunity

Australian Drug Trade 'high-reward' For Canadian Criminals: Police

There is an increasing Canadian presence in the Australian drug scene, where traffickers brave harsh enforcement for large profits in a "high-risk, high-reward" market, authorities say.

Australian Drug Trade 'high-reward' For Canadian Criminals: Police

Tough Conditions For Cleanup 50 Years Later Of Former Saskatchewan Uranium Mill

More than 50 years after a Saskatchewan uranium mill that is a key part of Canada's nuclear history closed, heavy machinery is once again rumbling across the remote northern corner of the province.

Tough Conditions For Cleanup 50 Years Later Of Former Saskatchewan Uranium Mill

Canadian Among Those On Tourist Bus That Crashed In Bolivia, Killing 10

LA PAZ, Bolivia - A spokeswoman for Foreign Affairs says a Canadian was among the passengers on a bus that ran off a highway and crashed in Bolivia.

Canadian Among Those On Tourist Bus That Crashed In Bolivia, Killing 10

Labour Movement Redefining Role As Face Of Canada's Workforce Changes

Labour Day celebrations across Canada this year come at a time when organized labour is in the midst of redefining its role in the workforce as a decline in the manufacturing industry and the rise of contract and part-time workers has challenged its traditional focus.