Prosecutors say Winnipeg father guilty of manslaughter in infant son's death should get at least 10 years

Caitlyn Gowriluk · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 23, 2025 8:34 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 minutes ago

Prosecutors privation a Winnipeg antheral convicted of manslaughter successful his babe son's 2020 decease sentenced to astatine slightest a decennary successful prison, tribunal heard astatine the man's sentencing proceeding Wednesday.

Crown lawyer Jennifer Mann said that's successful portion due to the fact that much than 5 years aft the decease of three-month-old Maven Gillis-Moreau, Mathieu Moreau inactive "shows sizeable deficiency of insight" into the actions that caused it.

Moreau, present 35, was location unsocial watching Maven connected the evening of Jan. 11, 2020, erstwhile the babe was recovered unresponsive. He was rushed to infirmary successful superior aesculapian distress, and recovered to person a breached clavicle and limb and swelling and bleeding of the brain.

The babe was aboriginal pronounced encephalon dormant and taken disconnected beingness support.

Prosecutors argued during Moreau's proceedings past twelvemonth that helium "violently assaulted" his lad retired of vexation that nighttime due to the fact that the babe wouldn't spell to sleep.

Moreau's lawyers said some parents had the accidental to origin the injuries, due to the fact that the baby's parent was watching him earlier Moreau got home.

While Moreau denied hurting his lad that night, Court of King's Bench Justice Sadie Bond said she didn't judge the grounds helium gave during the judge-alone trial, arsenic she recovered him blameworthy of manslaughter successful the baby's death.

WATCH | Winnipeg begetter recovered blameworthy of manslaughter successful decease of babe son:

Mann said Wednesday Moreau was "no doubt" saddened by the nonaccomplishment of his son, who died from a traumatic encephalon injury, but besides noted the tribunal heard nary nonstop look of remorse from him.

"To this day, we person nary mentation for his behaviour towards Maven," Mann told Bond, asking for Moreau to beryllium sentenced to betwixt 10 and 12 years.

Both of Maven's parents sat successful tribunal connected other sides of the country during Moreau's sentencing, surrounded by household members and supporters.

'You watched america suffer,' baby's parent says to father

Court heard unfortunate interaction statements from Maven's mother, Evelyn Gillis, and some her parents, who described the nightmares and wellness issues they inactive woody with arsenic a effect of their grandson's decease and the accent and anguish it caused their family.

Gillis spoke done tears astatine times arsenic she recalled the past clip she held her son, his tiny assemblage connected to tubes and wires successful the pediatric intensive attraction unit.

She besides told tribunal she struggled with terrible intelligence wellness issues aft her son's decease and excoriated Moreau for what she described arsenic withholding accusation astir what happened that nighttime and manipulating her household erstwhile they were successful an highly fragile state.

"You watched america suffer, mourn, grieve, and you attended Maven's ceremonial planning. You adjacent felt entitled to assistance america take Maven's urn earlier you were yet arrested," she said, turning to code Moreau straight wherever helium sat successful the gallery.

"Mathieu took distant everything Maven could person been, and his agleam aboriginal ahead. Instead of walking Maven done life, I had to locomotion him to the morgue."

Moreau did not talk erstwhile fixed the accidental successful tribunal connected the proposal of his lawyers, who said helium should beryllium sentenced to betwixt 3 and 5 years successful prison.

They described him arsenic an highly engaged and bushed genitor who was moving 2 jobs astatine the clip of his son's death, and noted helium called 911 and tried to resuscitate his injured lad that night.

"He besides tin grieve. He besides feels unspeakable for what happened. He loved his child," defence lawyer Bruce Bonney said. "Although helium sits present silently, helium feels the symptom too."

Prosecutors noted Moreau was successful a presumption of spot implicit an highly susceptible kid and has not gotten counselling for choler absorption issues. Court heard Moreau was assessed arsenic being a mean hazard to reoffend.

Bond is expected to present her sentencing determination connected May 30.