Couple to answer charges next month

A mother and her common-law husband will be back in court Aug. 2 to answer charges of criminal negligence in the death of a two-year-old girl from Woodstock.

Juli-Anna St. Peter died at the Woodstock hospital almost 15 months ago.

Anna-Marie Mooers and Curtis Brent Hatheway are accused of failing to provide medical care in an emergency.

RCMP Sgt. Ron Gosselin says the circumstances of the girl's death won't be revealed until the matter is heard in court.

However, he said an investigation was initiated after the child's body was examined.

"I'm not at liberty to talk about the exact cause of death," Gosselin said. "But at the time, we had an autopsy and as a result, the police were contacted."

Gosselin also refused to say if the family was involved in any way with the province's Department of Family and Community Services.

A major review of the child welfare system in New Brunswick was launched about 10 years ago after two children died while their families were clients of the department.