‘Incredibly tragic’: mom charged with manslaughter after baby died of malnutrition, police say

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This article was published 09/02/2024 (667 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A 27-year-old Winnipeg mother has been charged with manslaughter after police say her two-month-old son died of malnutrition — the city’s second homicide case in a week involving a young victim.

The Winnipeg Police Service’s child abuse unit began investigating when King Campbell-Ross died at his family’s house Dec. 4.

“It’s incredibly tragic. It’s something that’s difficult to comprehend,” said police spokesman Const. Jason Michalyshen. “As far as the accusation with respect to the conduct, or lack thereof, with respect to the mother, the child wasn’t provided the necessities of life, and that is proper nourishment and care.”

Michalyshen said it was his understanding the mother — identified by police as Alyssa Michelle Ross — was the child’s sole caregiver.

Sherry Gott, Manitoba’s advocate for children and youth, said her office is conducting a review after being notified of King’s death.

The advocate reviews a child’s death if they previously received resources through Child and Family Services, or had involvement with mental-health, addictions or youth justice services in the year before their death.

“I am heartbroken about the death of this young infant, the loss of yet another life too soon in our province,” Gott said in a statement. “We don’t have all the details at this time.

“However, if there are recommendations we can bring forward to government to address any systemic issues which may have been contributing factors, we will do so.”

King was discovered when police and Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service members responded to a report of an unresponsive infant at an Atlantic Avenue home, between McKenzie and Parr streets, at about 7:30 p.m. Dec. 4.

Other children were in the home at the time, said Michalyshen.

Interviewed the next day, neighbours told the Free Press they witnessed a baby being carried out of the home and placed into what appeared to be a small body bag.

“I saw someone carrying someone very small. I’m assuming it was an infant,” said a woman, who declined to give her name. “It was wrapped in a blue blanket.”

She was shocked and felt sick as the child’s body was removed from the house.

“The hairs on the back of my neck stood up when I saw that,” said the woman.

She and a second Atlantic Avenue resident said the mother had several young children. It appeared she was a single mother, they said.

The residents said the mother moved into the rental home, located in the Inkster-Faraday neighbourhood, last summer. They said she used their phones a few times to call people, including her landlord.

“She had a brand new baby,” said one of the residents.

At the time, neighbours didn’t know the reason emergency personnel were called to the home.

Police said an autopsy determined Campbell-Ross died of malnutrition. The Manitoba Prosecution Service authorized a charge of manslaughter.

On Thursday, officers arrested Ross in the 100 block of Higgins Avenue. She was held in custody.

It was unclear if Ross or her baby were receiving any supports or visits from public health or community agencies at the time of his death.

Public health nurses offer home visits to all families after a birth, according to the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority’s website.

Ross has only a minor criminal record — a 2017 conviction for impaired driving and leaving the scene of an accident.

She was fined $2,150 and prohibited from driving for one year.

Court heard at the time she was living in Winnipeg after being displaced from her Lake St. Martin First Nation home following the 2011 flood.

At the time of her sentencing, she was the mother of two pre-school children. Prior to her sentencing, she completed a residential treatment program for alcohol addiction.

On Feb. 2, parents Sabrina Faye Boulette, 37, and Garry Daniel Adrian Bruce, 38, were charged with manslaughter in the death of their one-year-old daughter Hanna.

Police said the girl died March 23, 2023 after ingesting a large amount of fentanyl — a powerful synthetic opioid — at the family’s home in the 600 block of Stella Avenue in the North End.

The parents are accused of waiting hours before calling for help.

In October 2022, the Crown stayed charges of manslaughter and concealing the body of a child against a Winnipeg mother whose newborn daughter was found in a garbage bin five months earlier.

Court heard the Crown was not satisfied there was a reasonable likelihood of conviction against the 32-year-old woman.

Police had said they believed the baby was alive when she was put in the garbage in a lane between Boyd and Redwood avenues, west of Powers Street.

— with files from Dean Pritchard

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca