A young Bangladeshi couple will appear in Halifax provincial court today, facing new charges of manslaughter in the death of their infant daughter.
Halifax Regional Police announced Tuesday that the death of Aurora Breakthrough in July 2009 has been deemed a homicide.
Parents Ashiqur Rahman and Jane Gomes were arrested last July after
the seven-week-old baby was taken to the IWK hospital with
life-threatening injuries.
They were originally charged with aggravated assault and recently pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors said the charges could be upgraded depending on the final report from an autopsy, which was completed a month ago.
Rahman, the father, faces one charge of manslaughter. Gomes, the mother, will now face two new charges of manslaughter.
"She's been charged under two different sections of manslaughter," says
Cst. Brian Palmeter with Halifax police. "One is failing to provide the
necessities of life resulting in the death of the baby and the other
section is being criminally negligent resulting in the death of the
baby."
Gomes and Rahman are in Canada on student visas which have been revoked. The couple has been in custody since being arrested.