Mother of Alberta boy who died of meningitis cross-examined by husband in retrial

The mother of 18-month-old toddler Ezekiel Stephan who died of bacterial meningitis in 2012 was back on the stand Wednesday following an emotional testimony Tuesday. This time with both the crown, and her own husband, David Stephan cross-examining her.

Collet Stephan and husband David Stephan are charged with failing to provide the necessaries of life to their son who died in March 2012.

In 2016, a jury convicted the couple on the charge but the Supreme Court of Canada ordered a second trial last year.

In their retrial, the case is being heard by a judge alone, with the Crown arguing the Stephans should have sought medical treatment for the boy sooner. The couple opted instead to treat him with alternative medicines before he stopped breathing.

On Wednesday, Collet testified she didn’t believe her son showed symptoms of bacterial meningitis prior to his death, stating that if her midwife or the naturopathic doctor had told her to take her son to the hospital, she would have.

WATCH BELOW: David and Collet Stephan testify at retrial for charges in son’s death

1:33 David and Collet Stephan testify at retrial for charges in son’s death

When David, acting as his own lawyer, stepped up to cross-examine his wife, he asked Collet to detail a previous encounter she’d had with the naturopathic doctor, Tracey Tannis. Collet recounted that she had also gone to Tannis about a medical situation with her other child, Ezra, who had a build up of ear wax. Collet added that when she was instructed by Tannis to take Ezra to the doctor, she did.

Earlier in the retrial, however, Dr. Tannis testified that Collet called her clinic and told an assistant she was concerned her son might have viral meningitis. Tannis stated that she instructed her assistant to tell Collet that Ezekiel should be taken to the hospital right away.

While Collet was on the stand Wednesday, crown prosecutor Joshua Chan also suggested to her that her midwife, Terrie Shaw, had in fact mentioned the possibility of meningitis after examining Ezekiel.

Collet responded that it had come up in discussion with Shaw.

“I asked, ‘If I was to take him to a doctor, what would they do?'” Collet told court, adding that Shaw told her they’d send her home because of a “lack of symptoms.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I asked, 'If I was to take him to a doctor, what would they do?'" Collet told court, adding that Shaw told her they'd send her home because of a "lack of symptoms."

The crown then pressed further and suggested once Collet had researched meningitis online, she should have been more concerned for the welfare of her child. Collet, however, said Ezekiel didn’t display the critical symptoms, and if he had, she would have taken him to a doctor.

David Stephan told Global News on Tuesday that he feels positive about his and his wife’s testimonies.

“I think we were able to clarify a lot of points and misconceptions that were made when we were nearly 48-hours sleep deprived and food deprived and traumatized when we made the statements to the police, so I think it went quite well,” he said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I think we were able to clarify a lot of points and misconceptions that were made when we were nearly 48-hours sleep deprived and food deprived and traumatized when we made the statements to the police, so I think it went quite well," he said.