Mother of assaulted baby to seek bail

By Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald on March 4, 2023.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

The mother accused of failing to provide the necessaries of life for her baby is expected to seek her release from custody later this month.

The mother, who can’t be named to protect the identity of the baby girl, is scheduled to have a bail hearing March 14 in Lethbridge provincial court.

The matter was in court Friday, where Calgary lawyer John Oman explained he had recently provided the Crown with a bail plan. The bail hearing, Oman told court, is expect to take up to three hours.

The Crown remains opposed to the mother’s release.

Police were called to a northside home on Jan. 18 to check on the welfare of the infant after receiving information she was being abused. Officers found the baby, who at the time was only six weeks old, in medical distress, and EMS transported her to hospital extensive injuries and she was listed in critical condition.

Police reported the baby had been assaulted and sexually assaulted multiple times over the previous six weeks.

Although there has not been an update on the baby’s condition, she is still in the hospital, a police spokesperson told the Herald Friday.

The 52-year-old father, who also can’t be identified, is charged with aggravated assault, sexual assault, sexual contact with a child, and failure to provide the necessaries of life

The accused’s lawyer appeared in court last week and requested an adjournment until March 17 to allow time for him and the Crown to have early case resolution discussions, which typically attempt to resolve a case as quickly and efficiently as possible, while avoiding a trial.

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