A warrant has been issued for a Calgary mother accused of causing her toddler’s death after being a no-show for a Friday morning court appearance.
Jennifer Clark and her husband Jeromie are charged with criminal negligence causing death and failure to provide the necessaries of life to their 14-month-old son John. The medical examiner had found the boy had died from a staph infection complicated by malnutrition.
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On Friday morning, Clark’s lawyer, Dale Fedorchuk, advised the court he had lost communication with her over the last several months and had grave concern for her health and welfare.
Crown prosecutor Shane Parker told court a number of attempts were made by police to serve Clark with a summons for Friday’s appearance to no avail. The document was eventually left with Jeromie Clark’s mother in hopes it would be given to her.
READ MORE: Judge grants delay in trial of Calgary couple charged in toddler’s death
A trial for the Clarks was to begin in June 2017, but Clark’s lawyer asked for a delay so he could obtain medical experts as part of the defence.
The judge had agreed to postpone the trial until October 2018 with the Clarks’ permission.
The Supreme Court has ruled that the reasonable wait for a trial in superior courts is 30 months.
-With files from The Canadian Press