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By Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press

2023 Incident

Edmonton police publicly challenging proposed plea deal from Crown prosecutors

Sep 9, 2025 | 3:47 PM

Edmonton police are publicly accusing Crown prosecutors of failing the public trust by proposing to pursue a plea deal in the blunt-trauma death of an eight-year-old girl.

Police, in a letter provided to media, say while they have become less “aghast” at decisions made by Crown prosecutors, this particular plea deal fails to even meet the Crown’s basic mission to be a zealous advocate for justice.

The letter was sent by interim Edmonton police chief Warren Driechel to Alberta’s assistant deputy minister in charge of Crown prosecutors, asking Kim Goddard to review the case and put a stop to the plea deal.

The letter references a case of a 27-year-old woman who has been charged with first-degree murder but police say is set instead to plead out to eight years for manslaughter.

It comes after the body of the eight-year-old was found in the back of a truck on the Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis in 2023.

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The girl and the accused can’t be named under a publication ban, but police in the letter say the investigation uncovered evidence of significant child abuse and that such a light sentence would constitute a miscarriage of justice.

The police letter states that if the plea deal goes through, the force will make public details of the case so people can make up their own minds on whether justice was done.

The Alberta Justice department did not immediately provide comment and the Alberta Crown Attorneys’ Association says it can’t comment on a case before the courts.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2025.