Mom charged in dog attack 'completely broken'

Last Updated: Wednesday, June 9, 2010 | 7:35 PM ET
CBC News

A 17-year-old mother charged with manslaughter after a husky killed her newborn baby says she is still in shock and "completely broken."

In an interview with the French-language TV network TVA, the teen — who cannot be identified because she is a minor — said the past few days have been extremely difficult.

"I don't have words. I'm completely broken, that's all," she said in the interview aired Wednesday.

The baby died Monday afternoon in the small town of Saint-Barnabé-Sud, 60 kilometres east of Montreal.

The young mother was arrested after her three-week-old baby girl was found covered in deep bite marks and scratches. Police said she had been left strapped in her car seat on the main floor of the house and one of several huskies in the home attacked her.

The baby's father, who was not home at the time, said the teen and the baby's grandmother had just stepped outside for a smoke and ran back inside as soon as they heard a noise. But it was too late.

The woman said she feels shock, but also anger and guilt.

"I want people to understand, not to make judgments that are false," the girl said. "People are saying I didn't want the baby. It was a child that I lost and it hurts."

The girl was critical of prosecutors for having laid charges so quickly.

"It was very difficult because they put me in a cell and I was alone," she said. "I didn't have time to mourn."

Lawyer surprised

On Tuesday, the teen's lawyer, André Williams, also expressed surprise at the quick action of prosecutors and the severity of the charges.

"There's not any emergency to accuse that young woman," said Williams. "I don't know what is so urgent."

Crown prosecutor Caroline Fontaine defended the decision, saying it was made "because we had the proof that we have analyzed."

Investigators don't usually wait to lay charges, lawyer Jordan Charness told CBC Radio's Homerun.

"Particularly in cases like this, which tug at the heartstrings and where everything is fresh and it's not a very long investigation," said Charness. "As soon as they have enough facts to lay charges, then they will charge you."

The mother will be back in court on Aug. 31. One of the conditions of her release is that she is not allowed to look after children under the age of 12.

From: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2010/06/09/mtl-dog-attack-mother-speaks.html?ref=rss