Grandmother charged in the death of 2-year-old Bloodvein First Nation girl

An eastern Manitoba woman is in custody after the death of her grandchild.

On Jan. 24 at around 8:30 p.m., RCMP were called to a nursing station in Bloodvein First Nation, a community about three and a half hours northeast of Winnipeg.

Two-year-old Jessiah Young was brought into the nursing station with serious injuries and was pronounced dead.

An autopsy confirmed the death was a homicide, and the girl’s primary caregiver, 56-year-old Burma Skye, was arrested.

The accused is charged with second-degree murder. The investigation is ongoing.

The girl’s aunt, Roberta Goosehead, had been caring for her until the fall until she gave Jessiah to her grandmother, also in Bloodvein, and Goosehead knew something was off right away.

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“At Christmas time we weren’t even able to take gifts to her, we had to send them through a third party, her Christmas gifts,” said Goosehead, “The last time I (saw) Jessiah and got to hug her and stuff was in October, even though she was living in the same community, she still cut off that contact with me and my partner and my family.”

Goosehead says Jessiah was a very vibrant and smart little girl that enjoyed life.

“She loved to cuddle, she was just a really happy baby, she longed for those long hugs and you know, she was really lovable,” Goosehead said

Goosehead says the suspect has had substance issues and had kids taken from her care in the past. but it appeared like she was turning her life around.

“She was working on getting them back and she had quit drinking, and I figured that because she was doing so good that Jessiah would be good there as well and that she would be safe there.”

Police say the loss is a tragic one.

“The homicide of a two-year-old girl is not just a loss for her family but a profound loss to the community” said Sgt. Laura LeDrew, lead investigator with RCMP major crime services.

“This is a senseless crime that will have a profound impact on the community, first responders and investigating officers. Our number one priority right now is seeking justice for the victim”.