Parents plead guilty to manslaughter in 2021 death of Calgary toddler

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    The parents of an 18-month-old who was killed in a southeast Calgary home in 2021 have pleaded guilty to causing his death.

    The parents of an 18-month-old who was killed in a southeast Calgary home in 2021 have pleaded guilty to causing his death.

    Sonya Pasqua and Michael Sinclair were in a Calgary courtroom Monday where they pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of their son, Gabriel Sinclair-Pasqua.

    Calgary police responded to a house in Radisson Heights on Oct. 5, 2021 for reports of a toddler in medical distress.

    Despite the efforts of first responders, Gabriel was pronounced dead at the scene.

    His parents were arrested and charged in February 2023.

    Court heard the toddler suffered severe burns that covered 33 per cent of his body.

    An autopsy revealed the toddler experienced blunt force trauma and sepsis during the last week of his life. He was also found dehydrated, with his weight below average for his age.

    The crown stated that Gabriel suffered for days without any kind of treatment, as both parents failed to take him to the hospital.

    In an interview with a Calgary Police Service detective, the parents said there was a cooking incident where a hot boiling pot of water fell on the toddler.

    Text messages between the parents just a few days before the child’s death said in part were shocking.

    “We need them to heal and then we can send him [Gabriel] off to a facility because we still need him as a paycheck,” read one message said out loud and gasps were heard in the courtroom.

    Gerry Backoway is Gabriel’s great-uncle. He and his wife had custody of Gabriel, before they were forced to give him up to his biological parents, Sinclair and Pasqua.

    “It proves that childcare wasn’t what they wanted.  They wanted that paycheck to continue, that criminal activity that they were doing. Gabriel was in the way and he paid for it, ,” he said.

    Backoway had custody of Gabriel since he was born up until about 15 months. He was granted custody after his mother tested positive for drugs when he was  born.

    While in the care of his great aunt and uncle, court heard the toddler met all of his developmental milestones and was considered a healthy child.

    The young toddler was put in the care of his parents on Aug. 13, 2021, and seven weeks later he was found dead.

    Backoway said he fought hard to keep Gabriel in his care as opposed to his parents.

    “At one time, we had the paperwork for a Permanent Guardian Ordership, and they took that away and forced Gabriel back,” Backoway said. “I called child advocacy lawyers, I talked to social workers, I talked to supervisors, and everyone disagreed with us.”

    “The fact is that house had every red flag,” he continued. “They knew about the violence in the house, they knew about the drugs in the house, and still Gabriel got sent back there.”

    During the court proceedings, the mother of Gabriel could be seen sobbing as she entered her guilty plea.

    “She’s struggling, obviously this has been a very difficult process for her. She’s incredibly remorseful for the decisions that she’s made and didn’t make, and she is here accepting responsibility, and she is prepared for whatever punishment she receives,” said James Macleod, Pasqua’s lawyer.

    But, Backoway believes the system failed Gabriel and more needs to be done to protect children.

    “Gabriel was thrown to the wolves. He was left there, no one checked on him, and he was getting beaten, and no one was there for him. We couldn’t go into the house legally,” he said. “Social Services has to be accountable, they have to come forward, and we would like to talk to them.”

    Ashli Barrett, the press secretary for the Office of Minister of Children and Family Services, says the province can’t comment on any case before the courts or on specifics of any child or family’s involvement in the system to protect the privacy and rights of those involved.

    “We are committed to continuously improving the child intervention system to better support the safety and well-being of children, youth and young adults,” she said in a statement. “That’s why Children and Family Services publicly reports on all cases where a child or youth receiving intervention services dies or is seriously injured and conduct a rigorous and transparent examination of what happened.”

    Sinclair and Pasqua are scheduled to be sentenced later this spring. 

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