Mother of Quebec toddler found alive after 4-day search denied bail

CBC News

· Posted: Jul 11, 2025 11:57 AM EDT | Last Updated: July 11

The parent of a Quebec toddler who went missing but was recovered live aft a four-day hunt past period has been denied bail. 

Quebec Court Judge Bertrand St-Arnaud also ordered a intelligence valuation beryllium performed connected the mother. 

The mother, who cannot beryllium identified owed to a work prohibition that protects the individuality of her daughter, appeared successful tribunal connected Friday wearing a grey sweatshirt. She cried arsenic St-Arnaud work his determination denying her bail. 

A abstracted work prohibition prevents the media from reporting the reasons for the bail determination and accusation revealed during the hearing.

The toddler went missing connected June 15. Her parent reported her missing astatine a store successful Coteau-du-Lac, astir 50 kilometres westbound of Montreal, telling a store worker she didn't cognize wherever her girl was. Three days later, a constabulary drone spotted the miss successful an Ontario tract aft an intensive search. 

The parent has been charged with criminal negligence causing bodily harm and kid abandonment.

WATCH | Bail denied for parent of Quebec toddler recovered aft 4-day search: 

The parent volition beryllium detained and evaluated astatine the Philippe-Pinel National Institute of Forensic Psychiatry successful Montreal. The valuation is slated to past 30 days. She volition look successful tribunal again connected Aug. 8. 

The valuation volition question to find the mother's authorities of caput and help determine whether she tin beryllium held criminally liable for her actions erstwhile her girl went missing. 

The parent testified past week. Both the defence and prosecution questioned her. She testified for astir 1 hour, sometimes wiping distant tears arsenic she spoke.

Crown authoritative Lili Prévost-Gravel had said she remains opposed to the mother's merchandise due to the fact that it is not successful the nationalist interest. She has said the parent tin person intelligence attraction portion successful detention.

The mother's lawyer, Olivier Béliveau, had said she needs help.

The parent was "extremely relieved" erstwhile quality reached her that her girl was safe, Béliveau said.