The search is on for a Hobbema mother who was supposed to stand trial this week on allegations that she had beaten her newborn baby.
Shannon Deschamps, 36, was arrested on Nov. 29, 2009, by Red Deer City RCMP called to investigate reports of an injured baby at Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre.
An RCMP media liaison officer said shortly after the arrest that wounds to the newborn baby were “suspicious in nature” and consistent with an assault, but were not considered life threatening.
Deschamps was charged with aggravated assault and then released from police custody.
Represented by Red Deer defence counsel Patty MacNaughton, she was supposed to be tried before Justice Monica Bast in Red Deer Court of Queen’s Bench, starting on Monday.
MacNaughton asked to be removed as counsel when her client did not show up for the trial, which was scheduled to last for five days.
Crown prosecutor Maurice Collard sought a warrant for Deschamps’ arrest, advising Bast that Deschamps had missed a number of previous court appearances, including a preliminary hearing that was rescheduled as a result. Collard said the mother’s failure to meet her court appearances has been an inconvenience to civilian witnesses, including one person who travelled from Newfoundland to testify.
Bast issued an arrest warrant, ordering that Deschamps appear in Court of Queen’s Bench to set a new date for her trial.