Woman charged with impaired driving in September death of 9-year-old Saskatoon girl

A 28-year-old woman has been charged with impaired driving in the death of a nine-year-old girl who was hit by a pickup truck six months ago, Saskatoon police said Friday.

Baeleigh Emily Maurice was hit while pushing a scooter in the 600 block of 33rd Street W. on Sept. 9, 2021. She was taken to hospital, where she died.

Police said at that point that the truck was driven by a 27-year-old woman, and that the service's traffic analyst unit was combing data collected from the scene to determine what factors caused the collision.

The police service warned traffic fatality collision investigations are complex, and that the techniques used can result in lengthy investigations.

In the months that followed, Maurice's mother, Rochelle Dubois, and community members called for criminal charges and ways to address pedestrian safety.

Police said in a news release that a 28-year-old woman was taken into custody Friday morning.

Following an initial toxicology report and consultation with Crown prosecutors, the driver was charged with the criminal offence of impaired operation of a vehicle while exceeding the prescribed concentration of THC causing death, police said Friday.

In a January news release, police said they were still awaiting the toxicology report before they could determine whether criminal charges would be laid.

"In cases where there is a need to determine if impairment played a role in the event, additional steps will be taken, including the analysis of breath or blood," the January news release said.

The January release came after Dubois shared a distressing video showing the truck hitting her daughter. 

LISTEN | Mother of girl killed in fatal collision asks for changes shortly after incident:

The video shows the marked crosswalk Baeleigh intended to cross. It shows a white truck that seems to slow down as it approaches. Baeleigh appears in the video, with her scooter on the sidewalk. She pauses briefly and then starts to cross the road. Just seconds later, a truck rams into her, not appearing to change its speed. 

"I know [Baeleigh] did everything right that she could," Dubois told CBC in January, after posting the video.

"I know that in my heart, that she's not at fault for this, and that's all I need to know. The public needed to know," she said. "I just wanted everybody to see the truth for what it really is."

Dubois also questioned at that point why the police wouldn't reveal the name of the driver.

The driver's name was not disclosed by police in Friday's news release reporting her arrest.

That news release was posted on a Facebook page called Justice for Baeleigh Emily Maurice, where commenters said they were pleased to see charges had been laid.

In a separate post on the page, a person who identified themselves as member of the Dubois family said they would not be making public comments or providing interviews to media.

The investigation is ongoing, police said.