CALGARY — A Calgary mother whose toddler died of a methadone overdose must serve another six months in jail, a judge ruled Friday.
Court of Queen’s Bench Justice, Earl Wilson, said Lisa Guerin’s conduct warranted a prison term of 2 1/2 years, but she was given credit for the time she’s already spent in custody.
Wilson said while Guerin’s moral culpability was high, the sentencing range of three- to four-years sought by Crown prosecutor Ken McCaffrey was excessive.
Guerin, 30, showed no outward emotion as Wilson chastised her for her decision to leave the sick 16-month-old child in the care of her father in April 2006, while Guerin went to central Alberta to work as a stripper.
“The callous and cavalier attitude towards the health of her baby by the accused, Guerin, is stunning,” Wilson said. “Guerin had a more pressing demand on her time, she and (friend Amanda) MacDonald had to get out of Calgary post-haste . . . to perform as exotic dancers,” he said.
The toddler, named Summer, died of a methadone overdose after sipping a small amount of the drug left in a coffee cup by her father, Jonathan Hope, after he attended an addictions clinic.
Both father and mother were convicted in March of failing to provide the necessities of life to the girl. But the judge ruled that Hope should receive a psychiatric assessment to determine if he was criminally responsible at the time.
Wilson said Guerin’s decision to abandon her daughter after knowing she had consumed methadone to pursue her own pleasure, including rendezvousing with a new lover, showed she had a narcissistic personality.
He rejected a suggestion by defence lawyer Adriano Iovinelli that Guerin had served enough time behind bars and ought to be placed on probation.
But he agreed with Iovinelli that his client should be given the usual two-for-one credit for her remand time, even though she was the author of her own misfortune by repeatedly breaching bail conditions and being rearrested.
Iovinelli said while Guerin appeared emotionless in the prisoner’s box, she is still going to have to live with the consequences of her actions.
“We can’t lose sight of the fact my client lost her child and she’s going to have to carry this burden for the rest of her life,” he said.
