Daughter pleads guilty to manslaughter in woman's death

The daughter of an Ottawa woman who was repeatedly stabbed and her body put in a dumpster two years ago has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.

Susan Kuplu-Iqqittuq, from Igloolik, Nunavut, was last seen alive on Jan. 10, 2019. Police later found her body at Ottawa's Trail Road landfill after searching for more than three weeks.

Lennese Kublu, who was 18 at the time of her mother's death, was originally charged with second-degree murder and indignity to a body. She appeared by video on Friday and was released on bail with numerous conditions.

"I hope you do your very best to go through this. I really hope you do. I'm rooting for you. I really am. Ok? So give it your very best shot," Superior Court Justice Robert Maranger told Kublu before commending lawyers and police for arriving at the plea agreement. 

"I think this is the right thing," Maranger said during the virtual hearing.

Stabbed repeatedly, left in dumpster

According to an agreed statement of facts, Kuplu-Iqqittuq was stabbed repeatedly on the right side of her body. A post-mortem examination revealed a "cluster of at least seven stab wounds," at least one of which likely punctured her lung.

Kublu is due back in court April 9 for a sentencing hearing.

Dwight Brown, who was also charged in Kuplu-Iqqittuq's death, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter and indignity to a body and was sentenced  in September to seven years in prison minus time served.

After Kuplu-Iqqittuq was killed, Brown wrapped her body in a blanket before leaving it in a dumpster, where the body was eventually collected and taken to the landfill.

The pair then fled to Toronto, where they were arrested on an unrelated charge days later.