McConnell trial hears mother depressed days before murders

EDMONTON – Two neighbours took the stand in day three of the trial of a Millet mother who admitted to killing her two boys.

Wednesday’s testimony focused on Allyson McConnell’s days before she drowned her two-year-old and 10-month-old sons on February 1, 2010.

Tracy Malloy saw McConnell a couple of times in January 2010.

“She appeared mad at times,” Malloy told the court, adding the divorce between Allyson and Curtis McConnell seemed to be weighing heavily on her. “She seemed depressed about it for sure. Bitter at times.”

A couple of days before the boy’s deaths, the accused gave neighbours bags of clothes, a car seat and a camera.  Allyson McConnell told them it was for safekeeping while she went to Edmonton for the weekend, and she didn’t want her husband to go in the house and take it.

Another neighbour testified McConnell had always been a great mom to her kids.

“She was great with her kids, very loving,” testified Marless Litzenberger, “She was not allowed to leave Millet. It seemed to me she felt very trapped there.”

Cst. Johnathon Lepine testified he had a conversation with Curtis McConnell after the discovery of the boys’ deaths about Allyson McConnell’s mental health.

“He advised me she suffered from postpartum depression after the last baby was born.”

McConnell has admitted to drowning her sons Jayden and Connor, and then trying to kill herself by jumping off a bridge.

Testimony has wrapped up for Wednesday. The crown will call its last witness, the medical examiner, Thursday.

 

With files from Kendra Slugoski