Dayhome operator charged with 2nd-degree murder in Alberta infant's death
A dayhome operator has been charged with the second-degree murder of a seven-month-old Alberta boy who was in her care.
Charges against Kyra Renee Backs, 29, were announced by Mounties on Monday.
Oaklan Reid Cunningham was declared dead at a hospital in High Prairie on the afternoon of Oct. 6.
"Relief, some questions are being answered," Shonda Desjarlais, Oaklan's mother, told CTV News Edmonton Monday, adding she's still in shock.
"Why didn't you just give me back my baby? Why didn't you just text me and say, 'Come get your son.' Nothing like that (happened)."
Desjarlais said her son started going to Backs' dayhome about a month before his death. Her nephew was also being cared for by Backs, she said, and she went for an in-home visit before Oaklan was left there.
"She showed me everything of what they'd be doing and where they would be, where they'd be sleeping. My impression of her was she was good," Desjarlais said.
When Desjarlais saw her baby at the hospital on Oct. 6, she said Oaklan had obvious head trauma.
"At the hospital when they couldn't bring my baby back, on his right side he had a bump, really big. That raised a lot of questions. How the f–k did my baby get that big of a bump?" she asked.
Desjarlais said she was not close to Backs but said she knew of her before the dayhome arrangement and that her older brother went to school with Backs.
An autopsy confirmed Oaklan's death was a homicide. His wake started Monday and the funeral was scheduled for Tuesday.
"It's really hitting hard for our family. It's nothing we'd ever thought we'd have to go through," Desjarlais said.
She thanked the community for the "amazing" support she's received and said she will be in the courtroom when Backs makes an appearance on Oct. 24.
RCMP have asked any families with concerns about Backs' dayhome, or anyone who has used her services in the past, to contact the High Prairie detachment at 780-523-3378.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Katie Chamberlain
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