Case of Nunavut woman accused of murdering child moves ahead

A Nunavut woman accused of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder in an incident involving her three children will be back at the Nunavut Court of Justice in Iqaluit on June 4 at 1:30 p.m. (PHOTO BY JANE GEORGE)

A preliminary inquiry in the case of a Nunavut woman charged with one count of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder wrapped up Wednesday afternoon at the Nunavut Court of Justice in Iqaluit, with a strict publication ban on future coverage that prevents the name of the accused and her community from being reported.

The charges against the 30-year-old woman—related to a knife attack in May 2016 in which one child died and two other children were injured by stab wounds—were not contested by Crown lawyer Barry McLaren, or the woman’s defence lawyers, Allison Crowe and Sarah White.

The purpose of the preliminary inquiry was to determine whether there is enough evidence to justify sending the woman to trial, and on what charge.

The case will now go to the assignment court at the Nunavut Court of Justice on June 4 at 1:30 p.m. A trial date, possibly in the woman’s home community, located somewhere in Nunavut, could be discussed at that time.

On Wednesday, Nunavut Justice Bonnie Tulloch decided to place a discretionary publication ban on naming the woman or any information that could identify the victims.

Section 486.4 (2.1) and (2.2) of the Criminal Code of Canada allows a judge to make a such an order.

This means any information that could identify the justice system participant, a victim or witness “shall not be published in any document or broadcast or transmitted in any way if the judge or justice is of the opinion that the order is in the interest of the proper administration of justice.”

In cases involving minors, the names of the complainants, and most witnesses, may not be published or broadcast. In printed verdicts the names of communities are also occasionally not released.

However, in a case from 2009, when a Kugaaruk sex killer pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and two child sexual assaults, the name of the man, Shawn Kayaitok, was not under a publication ban.

The publication ban for the case came into effect May 23, and does not apply to previous media coverage.