The defendants, Tamara Bernard and Paulette Villamil, pleaded guilty to neglecting a dead human body under section 182(a) of the Criminal Code.
The deceased, Jason Bernard, had been dead for four years and his mummified body was found in the bathroom of the home shared by the defendants and Ms. Villamil's children.
The defendants claimed they believed in a resurrection.
The court considered sentencing principles, including denunciation and deterrence, and the significant harm caused to the deceased's family and a child living in the home.
Despite mitigating factors such as a genuine, albeit bizarre, belief and no prior criminal record, the court determined that a conditional sentence order was not appropriate due to the prolonged nature of the neglect and the severe impact on others.
Each defendant was sentenced to 12 months in jail, followed by three years of probation.
