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Another Sham Accusation
July 20, 2009 permalink
The recent Goudge inquiry suggested reforms to criminal prosecution of parents for the death of their own children. A case in North Bay shows that the same mistakes are still being made.
The police waited ten months to find an offense, the finding is supported by the Office of the Chief Coroner (source of dozens of past false accusations), the Deaths Under Five Review Committee (an organization dedicated more to covering up than revealing the truth) and the Centre of Forensic Sciences. The most damaging thing the cops can say is that the cause of death is consistent with drowning. Judge Goudge suggested banishing the term "consistent with" since it says nothing.
This young lady will probably get a duty counsel or legal aid hack and may well become the victim of an undeserved conviction.
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Mother charged in baby's death
Posted By NUGGET STAFF, Updated July 18, 2009
A North Bay mother has been charged in the drowning death of her baby boy.
The 10-month-old child, Ivan Carmichael, died Sept. 8.
North Bay police said in a media release Friday that with the assistance of the Centre of Forensic Sciences, the Office of the Chief Coroner and the Deaths Under Five Review Committee, the cause of death was determined to be consistent with drowning.
Jennifer Carmichael, 23, of Judge Avenue, is charged with criminal negligence causing death and child abandonment endangering life under the Criminal Code of Canada.
She is scheduled to appear in court July 28.
Source: North Bay Nugget
The mother gets a criminal conviction and eight months house arrest.
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Mom under house arrest for toddler's bathtub drowning
A mom is under house arrest for eight months for talking on a cellphone and fetching ice cream while her 11-month-old drowned in the bathtub.
Jennifer Carmichael, 25, pleaded guilty Jan. 31 to child abandonment in a plea agreement that dropped the more serious charge of criminal negligence causing death, according to court documents.
"In our society, infants who are less than a year old do require constant supervision, and people in charge of such vulnerable human beings must be reminded that this is absolutely essential," said Superior Court Justice Paul Rivard.
"Sentences which deter that abandonment of such children must be imposed."
Carmichael lived on Morin Street for a month with her son, Ivan, three other adults and a 14-month-old girl.
The mother put Ivan in the bath with the girl shortly before noon on Sept. 8, 2008, in hopes of exposing the boy to chicken pox so he would catch it and develop an immunity to it, said Crown attorney John Benson.
Both children were left unsupervised in the tub for about 10 minutes. She returned and found the boy face down in the water, and other adults in the house tried to perform CPR.
"This was a tragedy for her. It was entirely avoidable, of course, but it's a tragedy nonetheless," Benson said.
He said no other adult was charged with the responsibility of looking after the child.
Carmichael's lawyer Frank Falconi said she was under the impression another adult in the home was supervising the children.
He said Carmichael became pregnant after the drowning, and the Children's Aid Society apprehended the baby who was placed in her parent's care in Western Canada.
The maximum sentence for child abandonment is five years imprisonment.
The Crown recommended six to nine months under house arrest, and Carmichael's lawyer suggested less than that, noting she has abided by strict release conditions since her arrest in 2009.
The Centre of Forensic Sciences, the Office of the Chief Coroner and the Deaths Under Five Review Committee were part of the investigation, North Bay Police Service said in a new release at the time of Carmichael's arrest.
If Carmichael violates her house arrest, she could be returned to court and be ordered to serve the remainder of her sentence behind bars.
Source: North Bay Nugget
