More than five months after the remains of a newborn baby were found in a wooded area near Halifax, neither the Crown nor police can say whether a cause of death has been determined.
“The investigation remains ongoing is about all I can say on that front,” provincial Crown prosecutor Kevin Nightingale told reporters outside a courtroom on Tuesday morning.
A spokesperson for the Halifax Regional Police confirmed by email that there are no updates on autopsy results for either the baby or the mother, who also died.
A defence lawyer representing one of the accused in the case told reporters in June that he was expecting the autopsy results “relatively soon.”
Kevin Nightingale speaks to reporters outside a courtroom at Nova Scotia Supreme Court on Tuesday morning. (Craig Paisley/CBC)
Sukhpreet Singh, 24, a relative of the mother, and his wife Ramandeep Kaur, 27, are charged with disposing of the body of a child with the intent to conceal the fact it had been delivered, two counts of obstruction by lying — including to police — and offering an indignity to a dead body.
Last month during an appearance in Halifax provincial court, the couple’s respective lawyers elected that they be tried by judge alone in Nova Scotia Supreme Court. They have not yet entered pleas.
The case was before a Supreme Court judge for the first time on Tuesday to set a date for a pre-trial conference.
Singh remains in custody and appeared by video conference. He communicated with the help of a Punjabi interpreter.
Kaur was released on bail with conditions in September. Her lawyer, Trevor McGuigan, appeared on her behalf.
Ramandeep Kaur, 27, was released on bail with conditions in September. (Craig Paisley/CBC)
On May 22, a 23-year-old woman who had recently given birth was admitted to hospital in critical condition, but the baby was not with her.
This prompted an extensive search by police, and the remains of the infant were found off Old Coach Road in Goodwood, N.S., two days later.
On May 27, the baby’s mother died in hospital. Police previously said they never had the opportunity to speak with her because of her condition.
The matter will be back in court on Dec. 10.
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