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Infant in hospital, parents charged
Seven-week-old baby fights for life in ‘shocking’ case
By MICHAEL LIGHTSTONE Staff Reporter
Sun. Jul 26 - 6:06 AM
At the tender age of seven weeks, Baby Jane is in the fight of her life.
That’s because the Halifax infant — the first-born for her 23-year-old parents — is being treated in a lo cal hospital, the victim of alleged child abuse.
And the alleged abusers, who were arrested at a Gottingen Street address after medical personnel contacted Halifax Regional Police, are the very peo ple who gave Jane life and are responsible for her health and well-being — her mother and father.
The unidentified parents are facing charges of ag gravated assault and have been remanded into custo dy, a police spokeswoman said Saturday.
“This is very troubling and shocking to police," Theresa Rath said, “particularly as it involves such a young child who is obviously defenceless."
The parents are due in Halifax provincial court on Wednesday.
Police were called to the IWK Health Centre on Fri day morning. Jane (not her real name) is in the IWK with life-threatening injuries. Ms. Rath would not disclose the nature of those injuries but said the charges against the parents could be upgraded if the infant doesn’t survive.
“For us to lay that (aggravated assault) charge, it has to involve very serious injuries," she said.
Aggravated assault is the most serious assault offence in the Criminal Code.
Police aren’t releasing the ba by’s name and plan to apply to a judge for a publication ban on the parents’ names to protect the little one’s identity, Ms. Rath said.
Paramedics took Jane to hos pital.
“We were contacted Friday morning by the hospital asking for us to attend because they be lieved it was a serious case of child abuse," Ms. Rath said.
Health care professionals “are compelled (by law) to report any suspected cases of child abuse," she said.
The alleged assault happened Thursday evening, Ms. Rath said.
“We were called to a Halifax address in relation to an injured (infant), and Emergency Health Services was requesting police assistance," she said.
At the time, “it was not be lieved that police involvement was required."
According to a provincial gov ernment website, “everyone has the duty to immediately report to a child welfare agency even a suspicion that a child under 16 may be in need of protective ser vices."
Reports may be made anony mously to 1-877-424-1177 or to 1-866-922-2434 on weekends and holidays.
Once a report is made, child protection staff consider the in formation provided to deter*mine whether an investigation is necessary, the website says.
([email protected])
Infant in hospital, parents charged
Seven-week-old baby fights for life in ‘shocking’ case
By MICHAEL LIGHTSTONE Staff Reporter
Sun. Jul 26 - 6:06 AM
At the tender age of seven weeks, Baby Jane is in the fight of her life.
That’s because the Halifax infant — the first-born for her 23-year-old parents — is being treated in a lo cal hospital, the victim of alleged child abuse.
And the alleged abusers, who were arrested at a Gottingen Street address after medical personnel contacted Halifax Regional Police, are the very peo ple who gave Jane life and are responsible for her health and well-being — her mother and father.
The unidentified parents are facing charges of ag gravated assault and have been remanded into custo dy, a police spokeswoman said Saturday.
“This is very troubling and shocking to police," Theresa Rath said, “particularly as it involves such a young child who is obviously defenceless."
The parents are due in Halifax provincial court on Wednesday.
Police were called to the IWK Health Centre on Fri day morning. Jane (not her real name) is in the IWK with life-threatening injuries. Ms. Rath would not disclose the nature of those injuries but said the charges against the parents could be upgraded if the infant doesn’t survive.
“For us to lay that (aggravated assault) charge, it has to involve very serious injuries," she said.
Aggravated assault is the most serious assault offence in the Criminal Code.
Police aren’t releasing the ba by’s name and plan to apply to a judge for a publication ban on the parents’ names to protect the little one’s identity, Ms. Rath said.
Paramedics took Jane to hos pital.
“We were contacted Friday morning by the hospital asking for us to attend because they be lieved it was a serious case of child abuse," Ms. Rath said.
Health care professionals “are compelled (by law) to report any suspected cases of child abuse," she said.
The alleged assault happened Thursday evening, Ms. Rath said.
“We were called to a Halifax address in relation to an injured (infant), and Emergency Health Services was requesting police assistance," she said.
At the time, “it was not be lieved that police involvement was required."
According to a provincial gov ernment website, “everyone has the duty to immediately report to a child welfare agency even a suspicion that a child under 16 may be in need of protective ser vices."
Reports may be made anony mously to 1-877-424-1177 or to 1-866-922-2434 on weekends and holidays.
Once a report is made, child protection staff consider the in formation provided to deter*mine whether an investigation is necessary, the website says.
([email protected])
