Crown stays charges against parents in toddler’s death

LETHBRIDGE, ALTA. — Crown prosecutors have stayed charges against parents who were facing a third trial in the death of their toddler in southern Alberta.

Shawn Buckley, a lawyer for David and Collet Stephan, said Tuesday he received a letter from the Crown about the decision.

“The Crown dropped the charges,” Buckley told The Canadian Press. “Obviously they’re very relieved that the Crown is not proceeding against them to try and convict them.”

The Alberta Crown Prosecution Service said it made the decision after a careful review of all of the available evidence that determined it did not meet its standard for prosecution.

“It has been more than nine years since the child passed away and the available evidence has deteriorated since the previous two trials,” the service said in an email late Tuesday. “The available evidence is no longer sufficient to meet the standard for prosecution and a reasonable likelihood of conviction no longer exists.”

Over the course of their trials, the Stephans testified they initially thought Ezekiel had croup, an upper airway infection, and treated him with natural remedies, including a smoothie with tinctures of garlic, onion and horseradish.

They said he appeared to be recovering at times and saw no reason to take him to hospital, despite his having a fever. They called an ambulance when the boy stopped breathing.