Karma Dyck, now 44, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of her 18-month-old baby in July 2021
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The mother of an 18-month-old baby who died five years ago in a New Westminster home has been sent to prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter.
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New West Police Department officers investigated a report of an about an unresponsive infant in the 1300-block of 5th Avenue on July 24, 2021, .and called in the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team.
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After a lengthy investigatio, Karma Dyck was charged with manslaughter, aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, and failure to provide the necessaries of life in February 2023.
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Police identified Dyck as the baby’s mother.
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Sunrise
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Dyck, now 44, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in a New West courtroom in April of 2025. On Monday, Dyck was sentenced to 4½ years in prison, along with a lifetime firearms prohibition and a DNA order.
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“Infant deaths are particularly challenging to investigate,” said Sgt. Freda Fong of IHIT in a news release. “In addition to the profound emotional impact of these cases, they often occur in private settings with limited witness evidence, making them difficult to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. Investigators must go to great lengths to gather a wide range of corroborating evidence.
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“While nothing can undo the tragedy, establishing the truth helps to provide some answers to those affected and offers an opportunity to learn from it in hope of preventing similar incidents in the future.”
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Also Monday, Vancouver police said its officers arrested a woman who was wanted for manslaughter.
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VPD spokesperson Const. Megan Lui said Kelly Renee Stonechild was taken into custody after a tip from the public that the suspect was in the area of Clark Drive and East 12th Avenue.
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Stonechild was wanted Canada-wide for manslaughter and breach of probation.
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“When officers attempted to arrest Stonechild, she refused to comply with their commands and allegedly reached into her waistband,” said Lui. “Officers deployed a police dog to safely take her into custody without incident.”
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