Sentenced: Calgary Parents Plead Guilty In Death Of Their 18MO Son Who Was A Check To Them

[Sugar Cookie]

The parents of a Calgary toddler, who was found unresponsive at the family home in October 2021, have pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of their son.

Thirty-year-old Michael Sinclair and 33-year-old Sonya Pasqua were arrested 16 months after police and EMS were called to the family home for reports of an 18-month-old boy in medical distress.

The couple’s son, Gabriel Sinclair-Pasqua, was declared deceased at the scene.

Court documents show that about six weeks after Gabriel was returned to his parents, he suffered a major burn to 33 per cent of his body, including third-degree burns.

Instead of taking Gabriel to the hospital, the parents attempted at home remedies like treating the wounds with honey, according to the agreed statement of facts.

The agreed statement referenced a text message exchange between the two parents discussing keeping "him separate from here on now we need him to heal and then we can send him off to a facility cause we still need him as a paycheck."

While it does not specify who they are referring to, another text refers to Gabriel "healing on the couch."

Bakoway said that proved that "childcare wasn't what they wanted, they wanted that paycheck."

"To hear that live and in court ... is mind-blowing. He's a child," he said.

Child and Family Services workers attempted to arrange a visit but were told not to come because Gabriel was ill.

Gabriel's death was attributed to widespread bacterial infection triggered by the untreated burn and blunt force head trauma with a resulting brain injury, according to the agreed statement of facts.

An autopsy also found he was dehydrated and extremely underweight for his age, despite having appropriate weight gain at a doctor's visit about six months prior. He would have needed emergency medical treatment for fluid loss, antibiotics, pain management and skin grafts.

The two parents told conflicting stories about how Gabriel was injured.


Pasqua had at first told police that he had fallen in the bathtub.

During an interview with police on the day Pasqua was arrested, she told police that Gabriel had fallen twice in the bath. When confronted with information from Sinclair's interview, Pasqua had said Sinclair was "blaming it all on me" and that Sinclair had "abused him too."

She detailed Sinclair kicking Gabriel a few times.

MSN

 

[Sugar Cookie]

Gabriel

 

[Sugar Cookie]

A Calgary mother and father who pleaded guilty to manslaughter after leaving their toddler sitting in a diaper of scalding hot water have each been sentenced to six years in prison.

"Their actions indicate a wanton disregard for the safety of Gabriel," Justice Glen Poelman of Court of King's Bench said Wednesday at the sentencing of Michael Sinclair and Sonya Pasqua.


"The circumstances of the event are extremely grave," Poelman added, as Sinclair looked at the floor and Pasqua cried softly.

Sinclair was given roughly 3 1/2 years credit for time already served in custody, while Pasqua received about 1 1/2 years credit.

Before sentencing, the parents told court they're extremely sorry and heartbroken over the death of their 18-month old son in 2021.

"I miss Gabriel," a sobbing Pasqua told court. "I am sorry. Nothing will take away the pain of the loss of my son. I failed. I just love my kids so much.

"I have to live with this forever."

Sinclair said, "I am sorry to everyone who is involved in this tragedy. I loved my son unconditionally. To this day I don't know why I didn't have the courage to call an ambulance."

Court heard the child received head trauma and was scalded, with the burns covering a third of his body, after he was left to sit in a diaper containing the steaming water.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-parents-get-6-year-sentence-after-toddler-dies-from-scalding-water-in-diaper-1.7592210

 

[cubby]

I loved my son unconditionally.

You loved beating on him, he was only a check for you to spend on yourselves. Nobody believes you even liked him, never mind loved him.

 

[runninfawn]

heck the sentencing is a joke grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr that should have been murder by torture not child neglect charges.... heck you double check the temp. of a bathtub before you step in so how come the temp wasn't check before putting this baby in and heck the crying and screaming when they tried to put him in the tub should have been their first clue... and who the heck puts a child with a diaper on in for a bath or play time ?? and yea they miss and loved poor little gabriel what they meant by that is that they loved and miss their stress relieve punching bag and his paycheck of course grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr i am getting to hate our so called justice anymore

 

[GoneWest]

What the fuck Canada? Do better! They murdered this baby after only having him back for six weeks. CPS should have demanded those fuckers let them check on him. They weren’t suspicious at all of their refusal bc he was supposedly sick? Why is that even considered a valid excuse even if it were true? I hate everyone involved in this travesty of justice.