Mother of baby found in dumpster on Christmas Eve 2017 pleads guilty to indignity to a body
Nina Albright was 19 years old when she gave birth to the baby
The mother of a baby girl discovered dead in a Calgary dumpster on Christmas Eve in 2017 has pleaded guilty to offering an indignity to a body.
Nina Albright was 19 years old when she gave birth at her parents' home in the southeast community of Sundance on Dec. 24, 2017.
The details of the crime come from an agreed statement of facts prepared by defence lawyer Gavin Wolch and prosecutor Vicki Faulkner.
Three medical examiners determined the baby was born alive but were unable to say how she died.
A sentencing hearing will take place in the coming months.
First, several reports will be completed, including a Gladue report, which examines an Indigenous person's background and upbringing.
Baby born alive
On the afternoon of Christmas Eve 2017, Albright was at her parents' home.
After a few hours of labour, Albright gave birth to a baby girl.
She and her boyfriend, Dayton O'Connor, had been together for about six months at the time — but the baby's father was Albright's previous partner.
The baby was born alive.
Albright told police the infant stopped breathing after a minute or two. She said she tried to clear the baby's airway but did not call for help.
Dumpster discovery
O'Connor had been waiting outside for Albright. The two had plans to stay at O'Connor's home that night.
She told him she was three months pregnant and just had a miscarriage.
Albright had placed the infant's body in a bag along with bloodied towels.
O'Connor drove to Bowness, in northwest Calgary, where she put the baby in a dumpster at a community recycling drop-off.
Hours later, around 11 p.m., a man was looking for bottles when he found the bag, opened it and discovered the baby's body inside.
He immediately called police.
Albright arrested 2 years later
Police tried to find the baby's mother but were unsuccessful at first.
In 2018, investigators reviewed security camera footage from a nearby convenience store and spotted a man and woman buying Advil and feminine products. The woman appeared to be in pain.
Banking records identified Albright and O'Connor.
Months later, investigators got a DNA sample from Albright that showed she was the mother of the baby found in the Bowness dumpster.
In January 2020, Albright and O'Connor were arrested. Both gave statements to police.
Albright told police the baby's father was her previous boyfriend, Alfred Sonido, who, according to the agree statement of facts, was "devastated" to learn he'd been a father and that the baby had been placed in a dumpster.
After he learned of the infant's existence, Sonido and his family named her Eve.
In June 2020, the Sonido family held a memorial service for baby Eve.