Winnipeg father convicted of manslaughter in infant son's death gets 7 years in prison

Caitlyn Gowriluk · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 02, 2025 11:56 AM EDT | Last Updated: 13 minutes ago

A Winnipeg antheral convicted of manslaughter successful his babe son's 2020 decease has been sentenced to 7 years successful prison.

Mathieu Moreau, present 35, was location unsocial watching his three-month-old lad Maven Gillis-Moreau connected the evening of Jan. 11, 2020, earlier the babe was was rushed to infirmary successful superior aesculapian distress. The babe had a breached clavicle and limb and swelling and bleeding of the brain.

Maven was aboriginal pronounced encephalon dormant and taken disconnected beingness support.

Moreau was handed his condemnation — which volition beryllium reduced by 17 days erstwhile enhanced recognition for clip already served is factored successful — connected May 30, Manitoba's online Court of King's Bench registry says.

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. She recovered him blameworthy of manslaughter successful the baby's death, which was caused by a traumatic encephalon injury.

"I find that Mr. Moreau inflicted immoderate signifier of battle connected Maven. That battle whitethorn person included shaking Maven, hitting him, throwing him oregon immoderate operation of those acts," Bond said erstwhile she convicted Moreau pursuing his trial.

Prosecutors had asked for a condemnation of 10 to 12 years — which Crown lawyer Jennifer Mann said during sentencing submissions successful April was successful portion due to the fact that much than 5 years aft his son's death, Moreau inactive showed "considerable deficiency of insight" into the actions that caused it.

Mann said portion Moreau was "no doubt" saddened by the nonaccomplishment of his son, the tribunal besides heard nary nonstop look of remorse nor an mentation for his behaviour from him.

Moreau did not talk erstwhile fixed the accidental successful tribunal connected the proposal of his lawyers, who said helium should beryllium sentenced to 3 to 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 during sentencing submissions. "Although helium sits present silently, helium feels the symptom too."

During sentencing, tribunal 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."

Prosecutors added during sentencing that 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 medium hazard to reoffend.