Canadian Girl Killed and Stuffed in Hockey Bag After Abuse, Court Hears
In a harrowing case that has shocked Canada, an eight-year-old girl was killed and her body stuffed into a hockey bag after suffering chronic abuse and neglect, a court has been told. Nina Napope died at the hands of her caregiver, Ashley Rattlesnake, in a west Edmonton home, with the details emerging during a sentencing hearing this week.
Details of the Tragic Incident
Ashley Rattlesnake, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter last year, was responsible for looking after Nina Napope due to the child's father being incarcerated. On the night of April 2023, Rattlesnake was drinking alcohol and using crystal meth when the fatal incident occurred. The court heard that Nina was found lying on the floor, bleeding next to a gaping hole in the wall, though it remains unclear how she sustained the fatal injury.
Rather than calling emergency services for help, Rattlesnake instead placed the child's body into a hockey bag and left it on the rear of a truck on Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis. Nina was reported missing and later found, leading to charges against Rattlesnake and four others in connection with the case.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing Debate
This week, Rattlesnake's sentencing hearing began, with officials lifting a publication ban that had previously anonymized the child's name and image. The court learned that Nina lived with Rattlesnake from September 2022 until her death from blunt force head trauma. An autopsy revealed she had multiple broken bones and injuries, some of which had healed by the time of her death. Additionally, an untreated infected broken tooth led to sepsis, drastically reducing her chances of survival.
The case gained significant attention last year after Edmonton police chief Warren Driechel issued a letter urging Canadian courts to reject a plea deal with Rattlesnake. Negotiations had been ongoing for a sentence of eight years in prison, but Driechel argued this would be an injustice given the horrifying details of the crime. He threatened to release further details if a deal was made, prompting public scrutiny.
As a result, crown prosecutor Terry Hofmann this week requested a nine-year prison sentence, while the defence recommended eight years. The hearing was set to continue on Friday, with the Daily Mail contacting members of Nina's family for comment.
Family's Heartbreaking Statements
Outside the court, Nina's grandmother, Starr Dumais, expressed her grief to reporters, saying, 'My baby Nina was so full of life. She loved to dance and sing. When you go outside and feel the warmth of the sun on your skin, that was Nina. My heart is shattered.' Her aunt, Charlene Dumais, added, 'It breaks our heart still to tell her story, of what happened to her, but we are relieved and we are happy to finally yell Nina’s name.'
The case highlights severe issues of child welfare and legal accountability, with ongoing debates over appropriate sentencing for such heinous crimes. The community and authorities continue to grapple with the aftermath of this tragic event, seeking justice for young Nina Napope.
