3-year-old woman charged with death in Regina’s nursery acquitted – Regina | The Canadian News

A criminal trial held more than three years after the death of a three-year-old Regina girl ended in just minutes on Monday, resulting in the defendant’s acquittal.

Zoey Hancock was found unconscious at a daycare in northeast Regina on the morning of March 20, 2018. Ashley Longworth, who pleaded not guilty to a charge resulting from manslaughter charged in February 2020, was acquitted by Judge Timothy Keene of the Queen’s Regina Court. Work table.

“It is difficult to put into words the relief our client feels at the outcome of the case, while acknowledging the pain still felt by the family of the deceased,” defense attorney Darren Kraushaar said in an emailed statement, adding that a Ongoing posting ban prevents him from further comments.

“Obviously this is a horrible and tragic situation. There’s not much we can say given the voir dire posting ban. “

Shortly after the trial began, Crown Prosecutor Christopher White announced that he would not request any evidence while he rested his case on Monday.

It was far from the outcome Zoey’s mother was praying for.

Speaking to Global News after the hearing, Debbie Hancock said that “my heart is completely broken.”

“I’m clearly hurt. This went on for three and a half years so that everything would lead to nothing. I feel like my daughter’s death was just another pile of papers on someone’s desk, ”said Debbie, whose daughter would have turned seven this week.

“My daughter’s birthday is Wednesday and I sit down with her remains and I start to cry.”

The Regina Police Service did not announce that they were investigating Zoey’s death in 2018 as a homicide until February 12, 2020, when Longworth was charged.

Longworth was released at that time under the conditions of maintaining peace and good behavior. She was not in custody prior to Monday’s trial.

in a related press release, the RPS noted that he was called to a Regina hospital at 12:25 pm after it was stated that Zoey had passed away. According to the statement, a 9-1-1 call was made at 9:45 a.m. that day, indicating that a three-year-old was not responding. It adds that “EMS was dispatched and emergency care was given to the girl before she was transported to the hospital.”

That, Debbie said, is where Zoey died in her arms at 12:17 p.m.

“My life ended that day, with her in that room.”

Debbie remembered Zoey as her “best friend” and a silly, animal-loving little girl who loved to go to animal shelters to pet cats and dogs.

The Regina Police Service confirmed to Global News in 2020 that Longworth was operating an unlicensed daycare center and “did not have a job related to the care or supervision of children.”

A representative of the Queen’s Bench Regina Court has informed Global Regina that the lawyers and judge involved in the trial are reviewing the publication ban. An update is expected this week.