Five years after an 18-month-old girl was found unresponsive in New Westminster, B.C., the toddler’s mother has been sentenced for manslaughter, according to authorities.
An investigation was launched on July 21, 2021, after local police determined the toddler had died under “suspicious circumstances,” the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team said in a statement Tuesday.
“Investigators worked tirelessly to uncover the events leading up to the infant’s death,” the statement said.
Karma Dyck, the toddler’s mother, was charged with manslaughter, aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and failing to provide the necessaries of life a year and a half after her daughter was found dead, according to IHIT.
Dyck pleaded guilty to manslaughter earlier this year and was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison Monday.
“Infant deaths are particularly challenging to investigate,” said IHIT spokesperson Sgt. Freda Fong, in the statement.
“In addition to the profound emotional impact of these cases, they often occur in private settings with limited witness evidence, making them difficult to prove beyond a reasonable doubt.”
The judge’s reasons for sentencing have not been published online.
