A 31-year-old mother pleaded guilty to failing to provide the necessities of life to her 18-month-old son, contrary to section 215(2)(a) of the Criminal Code, resulting in the child's death by drowning in a bathtub.
The mother left the child unsupervised while engaged in an 11-minute Facebook conversation.
The Crown sought a 9-month jail sentence; the defence sought a 4-month conditional sentence.
The court imposed 90 days jail to be served intermittently on weekends, plus 24 months probation, finding that actual incarceration was necessary to meet the objectives of denunciation and general deterrence, particularly given the aggravating circumstances involving abuse of a child and the emerging issue of distracted parenting through social media.
