Crown seeks 12 years in girl's killing


 
DEAN PRITCHARD, Winnipeg Sun

First posted:

Nicole Redhead pleaded guilty in the manslaughter of her 20-month-old infant. (FACEBOOK.COM)

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A Winnipeg woman who suffocated her 20-month-old daughter should go to prison for 12 years, a judge was told Monday morning.

Nicole Redhead, 28, previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Redhead was arrested in July 2009 after her daughter Jaylene was found dead in a suite at the Native Women's Transition Centre in Winnipeg.

Redhead had repeatedly assaulted the girl in the days leading up to her death, said Crown attorney Colleen McDuff. The toddler suffered 30 separate injuries, "literally from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet," including severe bruising and swelling to her vagina and bite marks on her legs, McDuff said.

McDuff said Jaylene had likely been crying when Redhead placed her hand over her mouth for up to two minutes and suffocated her.

"At no time did she contact anyone or advise anyone of what had taken place," McDuff said. "The lack of remorse in this case is quite disturbing."

Redhead had regained custody of Jaylene just six months before her death. Redhead's other two children remained in the care of Child and Family Services.

Redhead's boyfriend, a prisoner at the Headingley Correctional Centre, called about an hour later and Redhead confessed to suffocating the girl, court heard.

The man made repeated attempts to persuade Redhead to call an ambulance, but she refused.

"She didn't want to go to jail and she was concerned about losing the rest of her children," McDuff said.

The boyfriend called 911 and Redhead was taken into custody.

Left alone in a police interview room, Redhead attempted suicide by wrapping her pants drawstring around her neck.

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