Father, stepmother accused in death of Granby girl will go straight to trial

The father and stepmother accused in the death of a seven-year-old Granby girl have both waived their right to a preliminary hearing.

They made a brief appearance in a small, packed room at the Granby courthouse this morning. 

The father, a 30-year-old man, is charged with negligence causing death, child abandonment and with having failed to provide the necessities of life. He has been released on bail with conditions while awaiting trial. 

The 36-year-old stepmother, who remains in custody, is charged with second degree murder and confinement. 

The couple's identities are subject to a publication ban to protect the child's identity. 

The girl died in hospital a day after she was found in critical condition at home last April.

When news surfaced that her case had been followed by the local youth protection agency, it prompted public outcry and led to an inquiry into the province's youth protection system.

Waiving preliminary inquiry should speed up process

A preliminary inquiry, which is a sort of pre-trial test for the Crown's case, would require the prosecution to demonstrate to a judge that there is enough evidence to potentially convince a jury.

But since both parties have agreed that is not in question, they are skipping that step to help speed up the process. 

Still, it's possible the trial might not begin until next year and dates for the trials have not yet been set. 

Father, stepmother to have separate trials

The father and stepmother have both requested to have their cases heard by a judge and jury. The trials will be held separately, though some witnesses could be called to testify in both.

Crown prosecutor Claude Robitaille, who is overseeing the case against the father, said he plans on calling at least 10 witnesses in a case that could take a minimum of six weeks to present.

Despite widespread media coverage and a high level of public attention, the prosecutor said he's not concerned about that jeopardizing the case.

"There have been a lot of other cases in the past, across Quebec, which have been excessively publicized," Robitaille said. 

"That didn't stop us from being able to find juries. So I don't see why it would be different in this case."