A man from Glace Bay, N.S., has pleaded guilty to criminal negligence in the death of his four-month-old son.
A trial was initially scheduled to take place this week, but Jason Wayne Comer changed his plea to guilty during an appearance at Sydney Provincial Court Monday morning.
On Oct. 9, 2019, investigators with Cape Breton Regional Police responded to a residence on Cottage Street, where paramedics were on scene attending to an infant in distress.
The boy was transported to Glace Bay Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Comer, 44, was charged with criminal negligence and failing to provide the necessities of life two months later. At the time, police did not say what his relationship was with the infant.
Crown lawyer Darcy MacPherson anticipates the second charge of failing to provide the necessities of life will be dismissed.
While there was no agreed statement of facts, MacPherson and defence lawyer Darlene MacRury agreed the dates of the offence took place between Sept. 28, 2019 and Oct. 9, 2019.
Comer is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9. Judge Dan MacRury is also ordering a pre-sentence report.
In the meantime, Comer is free on an undertaking with conditions, which include not having contact or communication with the child’s mother except through a lawyer, and to not be in the company of any child under the age of 10 unless supervised by a responsible adult.