Stepmother charged with manslaughter in toddler's death from head injury

A 20-year-old woman is charged with manslaughter in the death of her two-year-old stepson, who was taken to hospital in Winnipeg in critical condition on March 24.

Emergency responders were called to a home on Snowdon Avenue on March 24, police said Monday. 

A toddler with a head injury was taken to hospital in critical condition, and died from his injuries on March 26. Police say the toddler's name was Brett White. 

The explanations for his injuries given by his stepmother, who called 911 and spoke to first responders, weren't consistent with his injuries, Const. Rob Carver said at a news conference Monday. 

"One was that the child had fallen and the other was that he may have been struck by a sibling who was four," he said. 

"An examination concluded that neither of those explanations would have accounted for the seriousness of the injury or the mechanism of injury, and as such, they were discounted."

'Tragic on so many levels'

Police arrested the stepmother, Victoria Reane Thiessen, on Friday. 

"Everyone I've spoken to is shocked at this," Carver said. 

"It's tragic on so many levels."

The boy's family said Thiessen had been in a relationship with the father, Cody White, for about two years.

Allison White said her grandson was caring and loved his sisters. He also loved getting hugs and cuddles.

"Everyone who met him fell in love with him," White said in an online message.

"He had a great sense of humour and loved to laugh."

The family has been devastated by the death and not being able to get together due to restrictions to stop the spread the COVID-19 pandemic has been extremely difficult, especially on the boy's parents.

The toddler's great-grandmother has started a GoFundMe page to help cover funeral expenses. The family said any extra funds will be donated to a cause involving abused children.

The toddler lived in the home with his stepmother and father as well as a number of siblings, Carver said. 

"Appropriate steps were made to ensure their safety," he said about the other children. 

Carver said he didn't have any information indicating that the child's father was there when the March 24 incident took place.