Death of Jaylene Redhead

Nicole Redhead is a mother convicted of the 2009 manslaughter of her own 21-month-old daughter, Jaylene Redhead-Sanderson (October 16, 2007—June 29, 2009), in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Jaylene's death led to extensive public criticism regarding the monitoring of vulnerable children in Canada.

Nicole Redhead
Born1983 (age 39–40)
Manitoba
CitizenshipCanadian
OccupationSex worker
Known forInfanticide, Filicide
Children3
Criminal chargeManslaughter
Penalty12 years in prison (2011-2023)
Details
Victimsdaughter Jaylene Redhead-Sanderson
Notes

Background

As a child, Nicole Redhead saw her own mother murder her father.[2] In the aftermath, she was shuttled through five foster homes, sexually assaulted, and later became addicted to crack cocaine, taking up prostitution in order to supplement her addiction.[1][3][4] Like her daughter would be, Redhead was born with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.[2]

Redhead's first two children were taken from her by Manitoba Child and Family Services.[1]

Jaylene Redhead-Sanderson
Jaylene Redhead-Sanderson
Born
Jaylene Star Sanderson-Redhead

(2007-10-16)October 16, 2007
Winnipeg, Manitoba
DiedJune 29, 2009(2009-06-29) (aged 1)
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Cause of deathsmothering
CitizenshipCanadian
Known fordeath by maternal infanticide
Relatives
  • Nicole Redhead (mother)
  • Skye Sanderson (paternal grandmother)

Nicole Redhead gave birth to her third child, Jaylene Star Sanderson-Redhead, in 2007. Jaylene was born going through drug withdrawal, and also had fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.[5] Social workers removed Jaylene after she was born, due to concerns about her wellbeing if left in her mother's care.

In late 2008, social workers agreed a supervision plan to have Jaylene returned to her mother on condition that the pair live at the Native Women’s Transition Centre (also known as Awasis) in Winnipeg, so that they could be monitored. The judge who oversaw the inquest into Jaylene's death questioned the wisdom of this decision, particularly given that Redhead had previously failed to show sufficient progress to have her first two children returned to her custody.[2]

After moving into the shelter with her daughter, Redhead began to consume large amounts of crack cocaine and beat Jaylene. The inquest report into Jaylene's death found that the pair were poorly monitored by social workers and centre staff, none of whom noticed what was happening.[2] Redhead was given leave to her community, to live with her mother, which gave her free access to drugs with no supervision.[6][7]

In June 2009, just six months after being reunited with her daughter, and after having inflicted repeated sustained beatings upon her during that period, Redhead killed Jaylene by smothering her.[5] She refused to inform police, but once her boyfriend, Preston Tran (then an inmate at Headingley Correctional Institution) discovered what she had done, he alerted the Winnipeg Police Service.[6][7][8] Jaylene Sanderson-Redhead was documented as the 14th homicide in Winnipeg of 2009.[9]

Conviction and aftermath

Redhead pleaded guilty to manslaughter, admitting she killed her daughter in a fit of rage. The defence attorney asked for leniency on the grounds of Redhead's traumatic upbringing, and stated that she was prone to violent behaviour since she had seen her mother kill her father at a drinking party at the age of nine.[10] However, the prosecution emphasised to the jury that Jaylene had suffered more than 30 injuries in the days prior to her death, including bites on her legs, swollen genitalia and kicks.

Redhead was convicted and sentenced to 12 years imprisonment, which is what the prosecution had requested.[11] Due to credit for time already served, this equated to a further 8 years and 8 months imprisonment.[1]

The trial caused such an uproar in Canada that it was debated in the provincial legislature, and an inquest found 14 recommendations in order to prevent another tragedy like this from happening.[12][13][14][15] The Office of the Children's Advocate of Manitoba was involved in the inquest and provided the Special Investigative Report.[16] The panel lambasted the Native Women's Transition Centre in Winnipeg, with Justice Larry Allen stating that "there does not appear to be any point to sending drug/alcohol addicted mothers to supposed 'safe houses' if these people are going to have free access to the community without making sure that their sobriety is tested".[17][18] The paternal grandmother of Jaylene Redhead stated that her life will never be the same after the murder, stating "God gave us these kids to look after them, not destroy them".[7]

References
  1. "Winnipeg woman who killed daughter gets 12 years". CBC News. 20 April 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  2. Lambert, Steve (23 May 2014). "Manitoba woman who killed daughter poorly monitored: inquest". CBC News. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  3. Turner, James (16 December 2012). "CFS psychologist had to rely on Nicole Redhead's words to decide Jaylene's future". Winnipeg Sun. Winnipeg, Manitoba: Sun Media. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  4. Lambert, Steve (23 May 2013). "Manitoba woman who killed daughter poorly monitored: inquest". CBC News. Winnipeg, Manitoba: The Canadian Press. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  5. Pritchard, Dean (13 May 2014). "MANITOBA INQUEST RECOMMENDS DRUG TESTING IN SAFE HOUSES". Sun News. Winnipeg, Manitoba: QMI AGENCY. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  6. [Agency of Northern Manitoba v. Allen], 2013 CanLII 47 at "4", "[2013] 2013 MBQB 47" (27 February 2013), Court of Queen's Bench (Manitoba, Canada)
  7. Ashley, Stacey (20 April 2011). "Mother sentenced to 12 years for killing toddler". CTV News Winnipeg. Winnipeg, Manitoba: CTV News. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  8. "Winnipeg woman who killed daughter gets 12 years". CBC News. Winnipeg, Manitoba: CBC News Manitoba. 20 April 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  9. Kitching, Chris (11 July 2009). "Mother charged with murder in toddler's death". Winnipeg Sun. Winnipeg, Manitoba: Sun Media. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  10. Puxle, Chinta (20 April 2011). "Manitoba mother sentenced to 12 years for suffocating her toddler". The Globe and Mail. Winnipeg, Manitoba: Phillip Crawley. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  11. "Woman who killed baby deserves 12 years: Crown". CBC News. 21 March 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  12. [Agency of Northern Manitoba v. Allen], 2013 CanLII 47 at "1-21", "[2013] 2013 MBQB 47" (27 February 2013), Court of Queen's Bench (Manitoba, Canada)
  13. Honourable George Hickes (November 25, 2010). "Archived copy" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Province of Manitoba: Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. p. 10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
  14. Honourable George Hickes (April 26, 2011). "Archived copy" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Province of Manitoba: Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. p. 10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
  15. "Social workers failed to notice Nicole Redhead doing drugs, beating daughter before she killed 21-month-old". National Post. Canada: Postmedia. the Canadian Press. 23 May 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  16. Pritchard, Dean (11 November 2012). "Inquest begins into infant Jaylene Redhead's death". Sun News. Winnipeg, Manitoba: QMI AGENCY. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  17. Pritchard, Dean (13 May 2014). "MANITOBA INQUEST RECOMMENDS DRUG TESTING IN SAFE HOUSES". Winnipeg Sun. Winnipeg, Manitoba: QMI AGENCY. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  18. Pritchard, Dean (23 May 2014). "Test addicts in safe houses for drugs: Redhead inquest report". Winnipeg Sun. Winnipeg, Manitoba: QMI AGENCY. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
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