Woman pleads guilty in toddler’s death

Latasha Stewart, a woman in her mid-30s, pleaded guilty to failing to provide the necessaries of life after her 13-month-old son, Romeo, died of a drug overdose in their Sherbrook Street apartment. The child lost his life after an adult's careless drug use. Provincial court Judge Malcolm McDonald gave Stewart a conditional sentence order of two years less a day for the tragic death of her son on December 29, 2022.

McDonald emphasized the dangers of street-drug use in households with young children, stating that it was hard to imagine a clearer lesson in this case. Stewart's defence lawyer, Jeremy Kostiuk, urged the judge to allow her to serve a conditional sentence, highlighting her efforts to turn her life around through a residential recovery program and maintaining sobriety.

However, the Crown sought two years of real jail time. Overdose drugs were found at the apartment, including a straw, pieces of tin foil, and evidence confirming the presence of fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine metabolites in the child's system. Stewart admitted to using cocaine and heroin and being aware of the substances in her home.

She was allowed to serve her sentence in a recovery house, bound by an absolute curfew and required to attend various appointments and programming. The family of the child's father was visibly upset with the decision, with some leaving the courtroom before the judge finished issuing the sentence.