On what was supposed to be the first day of the sentencing hearing for a woman facing charges stemming from the abuse of her twin daughters, her lawyer asked to withdraw from the case.
The defence lawyer cited an ethical conflict as the reason for withdrawing.
In court Monday, the judge called for new counsel to be in place by the end of the week, in order to set new dates for the sentencing.
The development came months after the woman’s husband and the father of the twin girls was sentenced to 15 years behind bars, with credit for three years already served, he has 12 years remaining in his sentence.
The couple faced charges of aggravated assault, criminal negligence causing bodily harm and failing to provide the necessities of life after their twin 2-year-old daughters were found in the spring of 2012.
One of the girls, identified as ‘Baby M’, was found by authorities in the car seat inside the family’s south Edmonton home – she had no pulse, and appeared to be starving, she was also suffering from a number of other severe injuries.
‘Baby M’ was kept alive on life support, but four months later she was taken off life support and passed away.
The father pleaded guilty to manslaughter in late April, and in a surprise move, the mother pleaded guilty to manslaughter, failing to provide the necessities of life for both girls, and one count of aggravated assault in mid-July.
Her sister, known as ‘Baby S’, survived.
At the time the twins were found, authorities found a 4-year-old boy in good health.
With files from Brenna Rose
