A Nova Scotia woman charged with the first-degree murder of her only child waived her right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday, setting the stage for a trial in the case.
A lawyer for Penny Boudreau, 34, said the case would be moved to Supreme Court from provincial court in Bridgewater, N.S.
The Crown said opting not to go through a preliminary hearing likely means the defence thinks there is sufficient material to take the matter to trial, and that there aren't any witnesses they need to question.
"The defence has access to all our disclosure material and they don't feel there is anything they need to address," Paul Scovil said after the brief court hearing.
"The only significance is that we won't be spending the time required to do a preliminary hearing. So it moves it on significantly."
Boudreau is charged in connection with the death of her 12-year-old daughter Karissa, who was reported missing Jan. 27.
The little girl's frozen remains were found Feb. 9 on the bank of the LaHave River on the outskirts of Bridgewater.
Boudreau is being held in a facility in Dartmouth, N.S., and was not in court Wednesday.
Scovil said the case will be in Bridgewater Supreme Court on Dec. 4, where lawyers expect to set dates for the hearing.
Police investigators have said they don't expect to charge anyone else and have released few details about their investigation. An autopsy determined the cause of death, but that information has been kept secret.
Boudreau reported her daughter missing late on the afternoon of Jan. 27 as a snowstorm swept over the region.
At a news conference where she appealed for her daughter to come home, she said they had argued that day and went for a drive.
Boudreau said she went to a supermarket in Bridgewater. She said she went into the store and left the girl in the car and when she returned, Karissa was gone.
