The Vancouver woman charged with the murder of her two newborn sons born 11 months apart became pregnant while police investigated the first death.
Vancouver police announced two counts of second-degree murder against the mother, Sarah Jee Wah Leung, 24, on Wednesday.
The case began in April 2009 after the body of a full-term baby boy was discovered by a neighbour at the home Leung shares with her family on Charles Street. The body was found in a bag between two homes.
At the time, police spoke to Leung but no charges were laid.
Investigators returned to the home on March 29 of this year after learning of the disappearance of another infant to the same mother. Police said the baby, born March 7, was missing and presumed dead. Authorities removed several bags from the residence.
Officers say Leung became pregnant again after the initial April 2009 probe, but kept it a secret. Police Deputy Chief Warren Lemcke said if police had known about the second pregnancy they might have been able to step in to intervene and save the child.
"The problem is that no one knew she was pregnant. If we had have known we could have stepped in. Even her parents were unaware."
Lemcke said that B.C.'s Ministry of Children and Families did not have any contact with Leung after the death of her first child.
He told reporters it's not inconceivable she could have kept both pregnancies concealed from everyone around her.
"We all hear of cases where women have hidden pregnancies from their families. This happens all the time," he said.
The investigation found that both infants were allegedly murdered and discarded after birth. The causes of death have never been released and the body of the second baby was never found.
Police considered searching the Burns Bog dump, located south in the city of Delta, for the infant's remains, but later called the search off after the BC Coroners Service and outside experts said the recovery was not feasible because of the amount of time that had passed since the disappearance.
Lemcke called the deaths tragic and senseless.
"Few incidents are more tragic than the death of a child but when that death is allegedly at the hands of the mother, it is unimaginable," he told reporters.
"And when it is two children, it is incomprehensible."
Police say they know who the father of the babies is, but he is not involved. His identity is not being released. It is not known if it is the same man who fathered both children.
Lemcke praised the work of investigators on the case, saying the 14-month investigation took a heavy emotional toll on even the most seasoned officers. The department has made counselling services available for affected members.
Leung turned herself in after learning about the charges Tuesday.
Crown counsel charged Leung under Section 235 of the Criminal Code of Canada, which includes first and second-degree murder charges and carries a maximum life sentence behind bars.
Police did not say why a charge of infanticide, which carries a maximum sentence of five years because it considers the mother's state of mental and physical health after giving birth, was not submitted.
Investigators said charges were not forwarded sooner because the case is extremely complex and it took a lot of time to put together forensic work, interviews and working with the Crown.
Leung briefly appeared in Vancouver provincial court Wednesday morning for a bail hearing and was remanded into protective custody. Her next court appearance is scheduled for June 16.
