Infant dies from exposure to fentanyl and methamphetamine, parents charged: Winnipeg police
WARNING: The following story contains details that some people may find disturbing.
Winnipeg police have charged the parents of a three-month-old girl after she died from exposure to fentanyl and methamphetamine more than two years ago.
According to police, officers and the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service were called to a home on Westgrove Way for a report of an unresponsive infant on Feb. 2, 2022.
The child was taken to hospital, but was pronounced dead days later.
She was identified as Layla Mattern Muise.
According to police, autopsy and toxicology reports showed the cause of her death was due to exposure to fentanyl and methamphetamine.
“The Child Abuse Unit continued the lengthy investigation and consulted with the Manitoba Prosecution Service, at which time charges were authorized against both parents,” police said in a release.
On Tuesday, police arrested Christopher Joseph Mattern, 39 and Alison Kimberly Muise, 40. They have both been charged with failure to provide the necessaries of life.
The pair were detained in custody, and the charges have not been proven in court.
It is the second time in a month Winnipeg police have said a child’s death was due to a toxic drug exposure.
In February, police announced charges of manslaughter against Garry Daniel Adrian Bruce and Sabrina Faye Boulette in connection with the death of their one-year-old daughter Hanna Boulette in March 2023. The charges against the pair have not been proven in court.
Boulette’s death was due to fentanyl intoxication, according to an autopsy and toxicology reports.
At the time, Const. Claude Chancy with the Winnipeg Police Service said officers have been seeing more incidents across Canada where children are being exposed to fentanyl and other dangerous substances.
“We know that our society right now has a substance abuse problem,” Chancy said.
“The fact of the matter is we still need to protect our children. So whether or not you have a drug problem, an alcohol problem... if you have children in your care, your first responsibility is their safety.”
-with files from CTV’s Kayla Rosen
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau appears unwilling to expand proposed rebate, despite pressure to include seniors
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau does not appear willing to budge on his plan to send a $250 rebate to 'hardworking Canadians,' despite pressure from the opposition to give the money to seniors and people who are not able to work.
'Mayday!': New details emerge after Boeing plane makes emergency landing at Mirabel airport
New details suggest that there were communication issues between the pilots of a charter flight and the control tower at Montreal's Mirabel airport when a Boeing 737 made an emergency landing on Wednesday.
Cucumbers sold in Ontario, other provinces recalled over possible salmonella contamination
A U.S. company is recalling cucumbers sold in Ontario and other Canadian provinces due to possible salmonella contamination.
Latest updates: Tracking RSV, influenza, COVID-19 in Canada
As the country heads into the worst time of year for respiratory infections, the Canadian respiratory virus surveillance report tracks how prevalent certain viruses are each week and how the trends are changing week to week.
Weekend weather: Parts of Canada could see up to 50 centimetres of snow, wind chills of -40
Winter is less than a month away, but parts of Canada are already projected to see winter-like weather.
W5 Investigates A 'ticking time bomb': Inside Syria's toughest prison holding accused high-ranking ISIS members
In the last of a three-part investigation, W5's Avery Haines was given rare access to a Syrian prison, where thousands of accused high-ranking ISIS members are being held.
Federal government posts $13B deficit in first half of the fiscal year
The Finance Department says the federal deficit was $13 billion between April and September.
Armed men in speedboats make off with women and children when a migrants' dinghy deflates off Libya
Armed men in two speedboats took off with women and children after a rubber dinghy carrying some 112 migrants seeking to cross the Mediterranean Sea started deflating off Libya's coast, a humanitarian aid group said Friday.
Nick Cannon says he's seeking help for narcissistic personality disorder
Nick Cannon has spoken out about his recent diagnosis of narcissistic personality disorder, saying 'I need help.'