A murder charge was filed Wednesday against the educator of the Beauport daycare where a 14-month-old girl lost her life on March 21.
• Read also: Death of a 14-month-old baby in a Quebec daycare: the SPVQ made two arrests
Initially accused only of assault and breach of promise, Guenuite Kiwangala Mubwaka saw her case increased with the most serious charge in the Criminal Code on Wednesday afternoon.
The 25-year-old woman was officially charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of the baby in her care. With her head lowered, she presented herself in the dock, not looking at the dozen relatives who had come to attend her appearance.
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Taken from Guenuite Mubwaka’s Facebook
According to the indictment, the events occurred on March 21. Remember that emergency services were called to a residence on Sainte-Thérèse Avenue for an unconscious child.
Resuscitation maneuvers were undertaken immediately when the baby was transported by ambulance, but he was finally pronounced dead in the following hours at the hospital.
However, no information regarding the circumstances of the child’s death is indicated in the indictment. His case will return to court on April 25.
She will remain detained for the duration of the proceedings under the provisions of the Criminal Code in a murder case, unless she files a motion before the Superior Court.
The prosecutor in the case, Me Sabrina Lambert-Michel, explained that the investigation was still ongoing, but that there should not be any new charges for the moment.
As for the filing of the charge of murder rather than that of manslaughter often brought in cases involving childcare workers, the representative of the public prosecutor stressed that the difference lies in the intention of the accused.
“Murder is having caused death with the intention to kill or the intention to cause injury likely to cause death,” she said.
Me Sabrina Lambert-Michel, criminal and penal prosecution prosecutor (DPCP).
Photo credit: Pierre-Paul Biron
Complicity after the murder
Guenuite Kiwangala Mubwaka’s co-accused in this case, Josaphat Mayuba Ndele, also sees the public prosecutor bring a new accusation against him.
The 30-year-old man, who is the sitter’s spouse, now faces one count of “complicity after the fact of the murder” of the child.
The man who owns the residence where the terrible tragedy took place was accused last week of breaking his promise: he was arrested in the Montreal region even though he had contracted, just like Mr.me Mubwaka, a commitment not to leave the district of Quebec.
Family daycare where a baby died last week in Quebec, Tuesday March 26, 2024.
Stevens LeBlanc/Journal de Québec
Closed daycare
The Ministry of Family (MFA) confirmed at the time the charges were filed that the home daycare service operated by the woman was indeed accredited by the regional coordinating office.
However, the ministry did not provide more information regarding the number of places or the opening date of the daycare in question.
According to information from Newspaperthe accused would however have operated her daycare before having recognition from the network, which would have been granted to her in 2024.
Stevens LeBlanc/Journal de Québec
The ministry also did not respond to the question of Newspaper as to the last visit of an inspector from the ministry or the coordinating office to the residence.
“Considering the judicialization of the case, the Ministry cannot comment on the case or transmit information about it, in compliance with the ongoing process,” explains Wendy Whittom, spokesperson for the MFA.
The daycare has obviously been closed since the events of March 21.
– With the collaboration of Elisa Cloutier