Edmonton police object Crown’s plan to accept manslaughter plea in killing of 8-year-old girl

The Edmonton Police Service says a plea deal of manslaughter in the killing of an eight-year-old Edmonton girl should be taken off the table.

Edmonton police are objecting to the Crown’s plan to accept a manslaughter plea for a woman who is charged in the killing of an eight-year-old Indigenous girl in 2023.

In a letter sent to Assistant Deputy Minister Kimberley Goddard Monday, the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) asked for a review of the decision.

• The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App

“You will recall seeing the almost 80-page summary of this investigation prepared by our homicide detectives, depicting significant child abuse and sufficient evidence to justify our officers reasonable ground to charge the accused with first degree murder,” said the letter.

According to an agreed statement of facts, the young Indigenous girl was living in an Edmonton apartment when she suffered a fatal head injury on April 22, 2023.

Officers began looking for the girl two days later in the area of 165 Street and 87 Avenue after they were called to conduct a welfare check. The girl could not be located and the homicide section was called to help investigate.

Court documents say the girl’s body was put in a hockey bag which was then placed in the trunk of a car and transported to Maskwacis, about 80 kilometres south of Edmonton.

Police found the girl’s body on April 28, 2023, still in the hockey bag which was in the bed of an inoperable truck. She was identified using DNA testing.

EPS originally charged the woman with first degree murder and indignity to a dead body.

Two men pleaded guilty in June to indignity to a body in her death. They were sentenced to two years and nine months, but with credit for time served, they did not serve anymore time.

Another man was charged with accessory to murder and indignity to a body.

The woman and the three men cannot be named due a publication ban protecting the girl’s identity.

EPS said it was advised that the Crown had plans to accept the woman’s guilty plea deal to manslaughter with an eight-year sentence.

“If this plea agreement is allowed to go through, we do not believe that justice will be served,” said the letter.

While Edmonton police hope to see the case go to trial, the letter said they would share significant information from their investigation with the public, if the matter concludes in a plea agreement.

“What we expect from the Crown – what you and the public should expect – is that the Crown is a zealous advocate for justice,” wrote EPS. “Unfortunately, so far, we have not seen that in this case.

A first-degree murder charge would result in a life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years.

CTV News Edmonton reached out to Goddard and Alberta Justice for comment, but the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service (ACPS) said it would be inappropriate given the matter remains before the courts.

“A fundamental principle of justice is the right of every accused person to a fair trial and the preservation of the integrity of the judicial process,” said ACPS in an email. “Public commentary on a matter that is currently before the courts can risk prejudicing this right.”