Police have charged a Regina mother, 24, with manslaughter in the death of her 18-month-old son – the city’s eighth homicide of 2020.
Chelsea Rae Whitby was arrested about 50 kilometres southeast of Winnipeg on Aug. 4.
She made her first court appearance Thursday morning in Regina Provincial Court, where Crown Prosecutor Constance Hottinger read her charges and consented to her release.
“There’s not much we can comment on today. Obviously the case is fresh,” defence lawyer Darren Kraushaar told reporters outside the courthouse. “We do want to confirm our client’s position, which she has maintained from the beginning, that she is not responsible for the death of her child.”
Whitby was led away by family members after being released from court late Thursday morning.
Media could not attend court in person due to limitations on courthouse capacity.
Whitby is due back in court on September 15.
Officers were called to assist EMS with an injured toddler in the 3200 block of Arens Road East on the morning of June 10.
The child was taken to hospital and later pronounced dead. The Saskatchewan Coroners Service deemed the boys death a homicide on July 15.
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