Supreme Court of Canada Rules Babysitter Must Be Acquitted in Toddler’s Death
Canada's Supreme Court rules in favor of acquittal for Tammy Bouvette, emphasizing the importance of transparency and justice in long-running legal battles.
The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that acquittal is the appropriate outcome in the long-running legal saga of Tammy Bouvette, a British Columbia woman whose conviction for the bathtub drowning of a toddler was overturned two years ago. This landmark decision marks a significant chapter in a case that has raised broader questions about the integrity of justice and the importance of full evidence disclosure.
Bouvette was originally charged with second-degree murder following the tragic death of a 19-month-old girl she was babysitting in Cranbrook, B.C., in 2011. In the face of serious charges, she pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of criminal negligence causing death. However, her legal battle did not end there, as crucial developments unfolded regarding the evidence that had been presented during her trial.
In April 2023, the British Columbia Court of Appeal found that the Crown had failed to disclose pivotal pieces of evidence to Bouvette’s defense team—evidence that could have dramatically influenced her decision to plead guilty. The Appeal Court described the original conviction as the result of a “miscarriage of justice,” emphasizing that full disclosure might have led Bouvette to choose a different course of action. As a result, the Court of Appeal imposed a judicial stay of proceedings, effectively halting the case without ruling on Bouvette’s guilt or innocence.
Not satisfied with the ambiguity of a judicial stay, Bouvette pursued a more definitive resolution. She petitioned the Supreme Court for an acquittal, seeking an explicit declaration of not guilty. Today, after careful deliberation, the country’s highest court determined that acquittal is not only justified, but necessary to uphold the principles of justice after such significant procedural errors.
This verdict brings closure to a case that has spanned more than a decade and has highlighted the critical responsibility of the prosecution to ensure complete transparency. Legal experts say the ruling serves as a powerful reminder that justice must never be compromised by withheld evidence—a message likely to resonate throughout Canada’s judicial system for years to come.
