A Montreal mother who allegedly left her daughter in a field by a major Ontario highway will be appearing in person at the Salaberry-de-Valleyfield court on Monday after completing a court-ordered psychiatric assessment.
The mother, who was instructed to undergo the evaluation by Quebec Court Judge Bertrand St-Arnaud on July 11, was denied bail. Doctors at the Philippe-Pinel Institute stated on Aug. 8 that they require an additional 30 days to finish the assessment.
Due to a publication ban protecting her identity for a fair trial, the accused’s name and her daughter’s name are not disclosed to the public. Media outlets are also restricted from sharing any details related to the case.
The mother was charged on July 3 with criminal negligence causing bodily harm and unlawful abandonment of a child, with the latter charge given on June 16.
The maximum sentence for criminal negligence causing bodily harm is 10 years, while unlawful abandonment of a child carries a potential penalty of five years upon conviction.
The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) initiated a search for the three-year-old girl on June 15, leading to a 72-hour police operation after the mother reported her daughter missing upon entering a business in Coteau-du-Lac, Montérégie.
Four days later, on June 18, the Ontario Provincial Police discovered the three-year-old girl alive and conscious in a field near the St. Albert exit on Highway 417 in Ontario.
Keyphrase: Mother Abandonment Case
