A woman charged with assaulting a newborn has elected to be tried by a Court of Queen’s Bench justice sitting alone.
Shannon Deschamps, 32, of Hobbema had her case adjourned until March 2 so her lawyer Patty MacNaugton and the Crown can work out dates for a preliminary hearing.
The hearing, which will be held to determine if there’s enough evidence to warrant the accused stand trial in Queen’s Bench, will take three days, court heard on Wednesday.
Deschamps was charged in late November in Red Deer with aggravated assault after a newborn infant was brought to Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre on Nov. 29 with suspicious injuries.
RCMP said then that an investigation into child abuse allegations was launched shortly after the child was taken into hospital.
The injuries weren’t life-threatening but were consistent with a physical assault, police said.