Introduction

A chilling bail hearing has revealed startling details about a woman accused in the tragic drowning death of a five-year-old girl at Wabamun Lake, Alberta. Mary Quinn, 35, reportedly did not know the child and was supposed to be under house arrest at the time of the incident.

Charges Against Quinn

Quinn is facing charges of failing to provide the necessaries of life after the child's body was discovered last month at the popular lake west of Edmonton. Justice Rosanna Saccomani expressed her disbelief at the circumstances surrounding the case, labeling them as “absolutely shocking.” A decision on Quinn's bail is expected next week.

Incident Background

Under a court-ordered publication ban, the name of the deceased child has not been revealed, though details from Wednesday’s hearing in Stony Plain were made public. The prosecution highlighted that Quinn was on a conditional sentencing order due to a prior incident in which she entered a stranger’s home armed with a gardening tool while intoxicated. Despite being under house arrest, she did not obtain permission from her bail supervisor to go to the lake on October 13.

Details of the Drowning

Prosecutor John Schmidt detailed that Quinn and the girl were strangers and that Quinn had taken the child out on the lake in a canoe without consent from the girl’s family. Tragically, neither of them was wearing a life jacket during this ill-fated outing.

Search and Discovery

When the child’s father realized she was missing, he began his frantic search, which was joined by three fishermen in a motorboat. Disturbingly, upon discovering the canoe at Moonlight Bay, the fishermen observed Quinn with her arm in the water, reportedly holding what appeared to be the girl. As they flew a drone over the canoe, they captured video footage that allegedly showed Quinn holding the child underwater.

Father's Heroic Effort

The frantic search intensified when the girl's father approached Quinn, demanding to know the location of his daughter, to which Quinn claimed ignorance. It was during this encounter that the father noticed a small foot protruding from the canoe. In a heroic attempt to save his daughter, he jumped into the water, inadvertently causing Quinn to fall in as well. Unfortunately, the child’s lifeless body was soon pulled into the father's boat, where he attempted CPR until paramedics arrived. Sadly, she was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.

Conflicting Accounts

Quinn’s conflicting accounts of the incident raised further concerns. She provided several different explanations, including that the girl had leaned over the canoe and fell in, or that she had attempted to chase a duck, leading to the canoe capsizing. Initially, RCMP labeled the incident as a capsized canoe situation but later categorized it as a criminal investigation.

Defense Arguments

During the hearing, defense lawyer Jason Leung argued that the circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear and speculated on various scenarios, including the possibility that the girl could have inadvertently fallen overboard. He also noted that Quinn cannot swim and may have been in shock during the chaotic events.

Prosecution's Case

However, the prosecution maintained that Quinn's behavior indicated an effort to conceal her involvement in the child's drowning. They argued she should not be granted bail, noting that the girl would likely be alive had Quinn adhered to her house arrest or sought help immediately when the child fell into the water.

Judicial Remarks and Community Reaction

Justice Saccomani remarked on the oddity of Quinn not asking for help when nearby fishermen approached her in the boat. The investigative revelations are shocking and highlight a case that has captured the attention of both the community and authorities.

Conclusion

As the investigation continues, the community mourns a tragic loss, hoping for justice for the young girl whose life was cut short in such a preventable circumstance.