Parents of toddler who died from meningitis thought he had cold, trial hears

The lawyer for the Alberta parents charged in the death of their 18-month-old son says they thought he had a cold or the flu.

The toddler's parents, David and Collet Stephan, formerly of Glenwood, Alta., are charged with failing to provide the necessities of life for Ezekiel.

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Defence lawyer Shawn Buckley told the jury in Lethbridge on Wednesday that evidence will show the boy appeared to get better at times, even right up until the night he stopped breathing and had to be rushed to hospital in March 2012.

The trial has heard the boy had been sick for less than three weeks and his parents gave him natural remedies and homemade smoothies containing hot pepper, ginger root, horseradish and onion.

After being taken to Cardston hospital, Ezekiel was rushed to a Calgary hospital where he died a week later from bacterial meningitis and a lung infection.

The trial has been adjourned until April 11, and is expected to continue for at least a week, possibly longer.

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