Close X
Friday, November 29, 2024
ADVT 
National

'This Is An Agonizing Case': Alberta Stays Charges In Death Of Indigenous Girl

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 14 Aug, 2019 07:52 PM

    EDMONTON - The Alberta Crown has stayed charges against two caregivers of a four-year-old Indigenous girl who died.

     

    The relatives of the girl known as Serenity were each charged in 2017 of failing to provide the necessaries of life, although the charges were not related to her death.

     

    The Crown says it came to the decision after reassessing evidence called at a preliminary hearing and determined there was no reasonable likelihood of getting convictions.

     

    Serenity had a severe brain injury when she was taken to hospital in September 2014 where doctors noticed she was underweight and had multiple bruises.

     

    She remained on life support for about a week before she died.

     

    Alberta Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer says the United Conservative government was not involved in the decision to stay the charges.

     

    "This is an agonizing case," Schweitzer said in an email Tuesday.

     

    "The decision to stay the prosecution was taken independently by the Crown attorneys without any involvement by elected officials."

     

    Schweitzer said that the Crown has one year to potentially reinstate the charges and there is ongoing related litigation and a pending fatality inquiry.

     

    When the charges were laid in 2017 the RCMP noted they were related to the circumstances in which the child lived, noting that the specific injury that caused her death was not criminal in nature.

     

    At the time of her death Serenity lived on a reserve in the central Alberta community of Maskwacis, south of Edmonton.

     

    Last October, her case prompted the then-NDP government to propose legislation that would see First Nations notified if social workers were thinking of removing an Indigenous child from a family's care.

     

    In December 2017, the then Opposition United Conservatives introduced a private member's bill dubbed Serenity's Law.

     

    It called for requiring adults to report to police any child who needs intervention under the threat of six months in jail or a $10,000 fine.

     

    The private member's bill did not pass.

     

    Alberta has about 10,000 children in care; about 60 per cent are from First Nations.

     

    Note to readers: The first two paragraphs in this story have been clarified to make clear the caregivers were not charged in the child's death.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Coquitlam RCMP Asking Public To Help Solve More-Than-Year-Old Home Invasion, Release Sketches Of Suspects

    Coquitlam Mounties are hoping that information from the public will help identify three suspects from an alleged Coquitlam home invasion.    

    Coquitlam RCMP Asking Public To Help Solve More-Than-Year-Old Home Invasion, Release Sketches Of Suspects

    Police Say Alcohol Likely Involved In Collision That Killed Cyclist On Gaglardi Way

    Police Say Alcohol Likely Involved In Collision That Killed Cyclist On Gaglardi Way
    Burnaby RCMP continues to investigate the tragic collision involving a cyclist on Gaglardi Way.    

    Police Say Alcohol Likely Involved In Collision That Killed Cyclist On Gaglardi Way

    Burnaby RCMP Investigate Weekend Shooting Incident

    Burnaby RCMP continues to investigate a shooting that occurred this past weekend.

    Burnaby RCMP Investigate Weekend Shooting Incident

    New Westminster Police Department Introduces Electronic Ticketing

    New Westminster Police Department Introduces Electronic Ticketing
    The New Westminster Police Department is changing the way traffic tickets are written in New Westminster.

    New Westminster Police Department Introduces Electronic Ticketing

    Metro Vancouver's Benchmark Home Price Falls Below $1M In June: Real Estate Board

    Metro Vancouver's Benchmark Home Price Falls Below $1M In June: Real Estate Board
    VANCOUVER — The benchmark price of a home in Metro Vancouver fell below $1 million last month, marking the first time the number dropped below seven figures since May 2017.

    Metro Vancouver's Benchmark Home Price Falls Below $1M In June: Real Estate Board

    'Just In Fun': Alberta Bar Owner Doesn't Regret Stringing Up Trudeau Pinata

    RED DEER, Alta. — The co-owner of a bar in central Alberta doesn't regret hanging up a large pinata of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the Canada Day weekend.

    'Just In Fun': Alberta Bar Owner Doesn't Regret Stringing Up Trudeau Pinata