The investigation into the death of a seven-year-old boy began on January 9th, 2009.
He was classified as Edmonton's tenth homicide victim of 2011 (see note).
As the death was classified a homicide in 2011, the Edmonton Police Service is including the case in its numbers for that year in order to comply with Statistics Canada standards.
Renee Marie Boudreau, 31 was charged with manslaughter, mischief endangering life, failing to provide the necessaries of life and criminal negligence causing death.
On January 9th, 2009, the Edmonton Police Service and the Medical Examiner's Office investigated the death of a seven-year-old boy who died in a home in southwest Edmonton.
The child was disabled and required around-the-clock attention from parents and medically-trained caregivers.
Several months after the boy's death, police received new information which caused homicide detectives to reopen the case.
Investigators found evidence that warranted four charges being laid against the caregiver who was present when the child died in his home.
Renee Marie Boudreau, 31, was charged on February 17th, 2011, with manslaughter, mischief endangering life, failing to provide the necessaries of life and criminal negligence causing death.
On February 18th, Boudreau was released from custody on $10,000 bail and was scheduled to be back in court on March 25th, 2011.
Police said that because the matter was now before the courts, additional details could not be provided.
That sent media off to uncover what they could about the woman, starting at the apartment where Boudreau last lived – read more »
The woman who lived across the hall said she only met the accused when Boudreau's Jeep clipped her car in the parking lot.
"She drives a nice vehicle and I though maybe she had a good job," Jamiele Smith said.
The woman was asked for her reaction to news that her hall-mate had been charged with manslaughter.
"I think that's very disturbing," she said.
Another tenant revealed what Boudreau had once told her.
"All she said was that she worked in a group home – sleeping, just being there overnight and she usually got to sleep," next door neighbour Patricia Sleeman said.
Boudreau once lived in the north end where residents often saw her outside fighting with an ex-boyfriend. Some figured she had problems with alcohol.
"It's just unbelievable ... I'm just in shock," Boudreau's one-time neighbour Rick Kolwich said.
"She's crazier than a loon and that's not a good thing. And working with kids, being that angry – she was always angry.
"As soon as she had alcohol – any type – she went off the deep end and that's the truth."
But another person who knew Boudreau found the laying of manslaughter charges against his friend hard to believe.
Steve Julson said he had known the woman since they were children. No longer as close as they used to be, the friends still kept in touch by phone or through Facebook.
"She's really a nice girl," Julson said. "She's not the type that would do anything like that in a million years."
A boy named Garrick
The Edmonton Journal spoke to a woman who had also worked with the seven-year-old, a boy she knew as Garrick – read more »
Barb Reid worked closely with the mute boy and his family. Despite his inability to speak, she said Garrick expressed himself in other ways.
"He was a boy who had a great deal of love and joy. You knew that through his eyes, you knew that through his smiles, and how he sought attention and affection from people around him," Reid said.
While the boy had a number of complex physical problems, she remembered him as a happy child who enjoyed playing with his toys and spending time with his siblings.
Garrick had just started attending a local school where he was having "wonderful experiences." Reid said it was important for people to remember the little boy's joy.
"We can't lose the little boy in all of this. He had an amazing family who was there for him always.
"I hope, I just hope, that whatever (Boudreau) has done, it was accidental," Reid wished.
"Sometimes you just don't know, are these charges because she didn't have the skills or confidence to respond in a crisis, or is it something more?"
Reid had worked with Garrick and his family through GRIT (Getting Ready for Inclusion Today), a privately operated non-profit program for pre-school children with disabilities funded by Alberta Education's Early Childhood Services initiative.
She said working with disabled children required specialised training and support.
CBC Edmonton found out Boudreau worked for Toronto-based We Care Home Health Services.
"Very disturbing, absolutely," spokesman Barb Toccelelli said when contacted by the CBC after the charges had been laid.
"Without having all of the specifics we don't know what happened."
Perhaps purely by coincidence, the We Care website listed a posting for a health care aide just as word of the charges against Boudreau were announced – see details »
Unusual charges
The combination of the four charges against Boudreau suggested the Crown prosecutor's office may have multiple theories of how the child died.
According to Sanjeev Anand, law professor at the University of Alberta, the charge of mischief endangering life is uncommon.
"That is an unusual charge to lay, very unusual," he said. "Mischief is essentially malfeasance to property."
Anand cited recent examples when the charge had been laid: the shining of a laser light into a police helicopter in-flight, in the purposeful damage to train tracks, and alleged attacks on well-sites in northwestern Alberta.
The range of charges could indicate the Crown was waiting for more evidence.
"They've laid charges of manslaughter and criminal negligence causing death," Anand said. "They won't get both of those, and criminal negligence causing death is more specific."
Medical tampering?
Court documents uncovered by media revealed Boudreau had allegedly tampered with the boy's medical equipment, specifically a pulse oximeter, a device that monitors oxygen levels in the blood – read more »
The documents suggested the charges of mischief and criminal negligence stemmed from her disconnecting, unplugging, or tampering with the device.
Pulse oximeters are used in the monitoring of patients suffering ailments including anemia, hypoxia, emphysema and bronchitis.
When oxygen levels in the blood fall below a critical point, vital organs such as the brain, heart and lungs can be damaged to the point of causing death.
Oximeters can be set up to sound an alarm if levels get too low, letting patients or caregivers know when they should provide oxygen treatment or medication.
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