Halifax couple accused of concealing relative’s dead newborn want to be tried in Nova Scotia Supreme Court
A Halifax couple accused of disposing of a relative’s dead newborn in May have elected to be tried in Nova Scotia Supreme Court by a judge alone.
Lawyers made the election for Sukhpreet Singh, 24, and his wife, Ramandeep Kaur, 27, Wednesday in Halifax provincial court.
Singh and Kaur are both charged with concealing the dead body of an infant with intent to hide its delivery, interfering with human remains, obstructing police and obstructing justice.
A 23-year-old woman was admitted to hospital in critical condition May 22 after giving birth to an infant whose body was found in woods near Halifax on May 24. The woman died May 27.
Singh is related to the woman who died. He has not applied for bail and appeared in court Wednesday via a video link from jail.
Defence lawyer Josh Nodelman was in court for Singh, and a Punjabi interpreter translated the proceedings.
Kaur was granted bail Sept. 17 after almost four months in custody. She chose not to attend court Wednesday, letting defence lawyer Trevor McGuigan speak for her.
The pair’s charges are not eligible for a preliminary inquiry in provincial court. Judge Christine Driscoll scheduled their arraignment in Supreme Court for Nov. 5.
Singh and Kaur will be expected to enter pleas that day and begin the process of setting trial dates.
Brandon Rolle is also representing Kaur, while Tanya Carter and Kevin Nightingale are the prosecutors.
Police were alerted on the night of May 22 after paramedics responded to a 911 call from an apartment at 214 Willett St. in Halifax and transported a young woman to hospital in life-threatening condition.
The woman had just given birth, police said, but there was no sign of her baby.
Halifax Regional Police and Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue began searching the Willett Street area for the infant, and four people — including Singh and Kaur — were taken into custody for questioning.
Information that was received during the interviews eventually led searchers to Goodwood, where the baby’s body was discovered May 24 at about 3:20 p.m. in woods off Old Coach Road.
An autopsy was performed on the infant May 25.
Police announced May 28 that the woman had died the day before. They said an autopsy would be conducted to determine the cause and manner of her death.
A judge approved Kaur’s release last month on a $6,000 bail order with one surety and conditions worked out by counsel.
Kaur pledged $1,000 and the surety — a male relative — promised $5,000 to secure her release.
Judge Marc Chisholm ordered Kaur to reside with the surety at an address on Cathedral Lane in Halifax, remain in Nova Scotia, report to HRP headquarters in person every Friday, and deposit her passport and Indian national identity card with police.
