WARNING: This story contains violent, graphic details. Discretion is advised.
The mother of two-year old Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette testified Wednesday morning in the triple-murder trial of Derek Saretzky.
The remains of Cheyenne Dunbar’s little girl were found at a rural campsite in Alberta’s Crowsnest Pass–owned by the Saretzky family and known to them as “the ranch.”
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Saretzky, 24, is charged with first-degree murder in the September 2015 deaths of Hailey and her father Terry Blanchette, 27, in the southern Alberta community of Blairmore. He is also accused of killing 69-year-old Hanne Meketech, who was found dead five days earlier in her mobile home in nearby Coleman, Alta.
READ MORE: Jurors in Derek Saretzky triple-murder trial visibly upset as more disturbing evidence is shown
Dunbar was extremely soft-spoken as she described the history of her relationship with Terry Blanchette.
The two first met 2011 in Calgary, then began dating in February of that year.
The couple had baby Hailey in December 2012.
Watch below: Global’s ongoing coverage of the case
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Derek Saretzky triple-murder trial to begin Wednesday
Dunbar said she moved a few times and ended up living with Terry in the Crowsnest Pass. She described their relationship as on and off.
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She testified she met Saretzky when Hailey was three months old. She described him as a friend and said they never dated. She said they would hang out together a few times a week at the home she shared with Blanchette. Dunbar said the baby was present for the visits and this continued until Hailey was about eight months old.
WATCH from June 20: Jurors at the triple-murder trial of Derek Saretzky were taken through details of the campsite where remains of two-year-old Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette were found. Nancy Hixt explains the testimony. WARNING: Discretion advised.
In a police interview done on Sept. 15, 2015 and previously played for the jury, Staff Sgt. Michael McCauley asked Saretzky: “When did you date, you used to date Cheyenne, right?”
“Umm, I dated her, I was working for probably two years at Prestige, two-and-a-half years maybe, I’m guessing,” Saretzky replied. “Two, two-and-a-half years ago. And I was dating Cheyenne before that and she had her baby before that.”
McCauley asked if Saretzky was like a stepdad to the baby, to which Saretzky replied: “No, kinda I guess so…I was taking care of him…or her.”
Dunbar testified Wednesday she shared custody of Hailey with Terry–two weeks on and two weeks off.
Also Wednesday, court heard from the lead investigator into the death of Hanne Meketech and the lead investigator into the deaths of Hailey and her father.
RCMP Cpl. Brian Fitzpatrick said the injuries Meketech suffered was holdback information in the case. The case was put on hold once Blanchette was found dead and Hailey missing.
“The first few hours there were quite chaotic,” Fitzpatrick said.
Cpl. Joany Paradis said 366 tips were generated by the Amber Alert for Hailey.
It was Paradis who briefed Staff Sgt. Mike McCauley about the case before he interviewed Saretzky.
“We established some objectives for the interview…our primary objective was to find Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette,” Paradis said.
The officer said Saretzky became a suspect in the Meketech case after the discovery of the “medicine fresh” list at Saretzky’s apartment. On it—and crossed out—was her name, along with Chy (Cheyenne Dunbar), Terry and “the hideous baby.”
An RCMP forensic expert specializing in DNA evidence also testified Wednesday.
Janice Lyons said Hailey’s DNA was found on a pair of boots seized from Saretzky’s apartment, but confirmed Saretzky’s own DNA was not on those boots.
All DNA samples from “the ranch” came back as a match to Hailey.
READ MORE: Derek Saretzky video confession played at triple-murder trial
The Crown will wait until Friday to officially rest its case. After that, the jury will find out if the defence will call any evidence.
Saretzky has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
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