B.C. mother found not guilty of 1st-degree murder of 7-year-old girl
A judge has found a Metro Vancouver mother not guilty of first-degree murder in the death of her seven-year-old child.
The body of Aaliyah Rosa was found in her mother's Langley, B.C., apartment in July 2018. Her mother, Kerry Ann Lewis, was charged with first-degree murder in the case.
The Crown's theory, the court heard, was that Lewis sedated her daughter then drowned the girl in the bathtub of her suite.
The defence argued there was a "huge lack of evidence" in the case, including proof of how the drugs found in the girl's system got there.
Justice Martha Devlin agreed with the Crown, saying that on a balance of probabilities, it was likely Lewis gave the girl sedatives.
But she took issue with the work done by pathologist Dr. Lisa Steele, who conducted the autopsy.
“I have some concerns regarding the reliability of Dr. Steele’s evidence,” she said, noting the pathologist had apparently failed to notice evidence of a pre-existing brain condition.
A pair of neuropathologists who testified as expert witnesses for the defence said Aaliyah lived with hydrocephalus, which is an abnormal buildup of fluid deep within the brain.
The judge accepted their evidence that the condition could have been a contributing factor in Aaliyah’s death.
In delivering her decision, Justice Devlin said the Crown had not proved its theory beyond a reasonable doubt and found Lewis not guilty.
About eight friends and family of Aaliyah were in the gallery, with many more watching on a monitor in an adjacent room.
When the verdict was read, many became very emotional, with some crying and others needing to be restrained by sheriffs as they attempted to move towards Lewis, who was being led out of the courtroom by other sheriffs.
Outside the courthouse, a visibly distraught Stephen Rosa, Aaliyah’s father, declined to speak to the media as friends and family huddled with him in support.
Crown lawyers also declined to address the media so it is not clear yet if they plan to appeal the decision.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau acknowledges charges in Nijjar killing, calls for commitment to democracy
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the charges laid Friday in relation to the murder of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Princess Anne lays wreath at B.C. veteran's cemetery; receives 21-gun salute
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.