Fatality inquiry into Serenity’s death stalled by court proceedings – Calgary Herald

October 10, 2017

Alberta’s justice minister says a fatality inquiry into the death of a four-year-old Indigenous girl — who was removed from life support in 2014 after arriving in hospital with catastrophic head injuries — won’t proceed while there are active court proceedings related to the case.

“You want to avoid a situation where there’s any potential prejudice,” Kathleen Ganley said Tuesday, explaining the fatality review board is responsible for launching an inquiry.

Police have charged Serenity’s caregivers — a great aunt and great uncle in their mid 50s — jointly with one count of failing to provide the necessaries of life between May 3, 2013, and Sept. 18, 2014. The RCMP said the specific injury that caused Serenity’s death wasn’t criminal.

“The Crown advised at this time these were the charges supported by the evidence,” RCMP Sgt. Jack Poitras said Tuesday, adding police won’t release more details about the case, such as the official cause of death.

Read More: http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/fatality-inquiry-into-serenitys-death-stalled-by-court-proceedings/wcm/28ffc7b3-7919-4449-afdb-e459fee670d8