Sentencing set in Edmonton in child murder case that saw Crown and police at odds
Posted Feb 27, 2026 6:47 am.
A judge is set to deliver a sentence today in the death of an eight-year-old girl found dead in a hockey bag in central Alberta.
The case surrounding the death of Nina Napope has also made headlines because Edmonton police, in a highly unusual move, have openly criticized the work of Crown prosecutors.
Ashley Rattlesnake is set to be sentenced in Edmonton after pleading guilty to manslaughter.
Court has heard Nina was in the care of Rattlesnake when her body was found in the hockey bag in the back of a truck on the Samson Cree Nation in 2023.
An autopsy showed the girl had multiple broken bones amongst other injuries, and the Crown is seeking a nine-year sentence.
The Crown earlier found itself at odds with Edmonton police, who publicly accused prosecutors of potentially committing a travesty of justice by seeking a shorter prison term for Rattlesnake.
