Arrests after baby born in motel room
A Peterborough man and his wife have been charged with failing to provide the necessities of life for their infant daughter after the baby was born in a motel room in rural New Brunswick.
Michael Bonnell, 30, of Peterborough, was charged with two counts of failing to provide the necessities of life, while his wife Yuyang Guan, 26, was charged with one count of failing to provide the necessities of life.
They appeared in court Tuesday afternoon and were remanded into custody until their next court appearance on Thursday afternoon.
RCMP in New Brunswick began searching for the couple after the Saint-Léonard RCMP detachment received a report Saturday from the Quality Inn Motel in Saint-André, N.B. that they believed a woman had delivered a baby in one of the rooms being rented, police said.
The man, woman and baby were located at a motel in Ed--
mundston, N.B. late Monday night.
The baby was then taken to the hospital for observation.
“The baby remains in hospital for observation, but I believe the baby’s in good health,” said RCMP Cpl. Jullie Rogers-Marsh.
The baby is now in the care of the Department of Social Development, police said.
Two dogs believed to be in poor health were seized and turned over to animal care authorities. Rogers-Marsh said it appeared the dogs hadn’t eaten in quite some time.
Police say the couple had been staying at the motel since April 15, but that “no one had seen the woman and the baby and there was concern for their well-being.”
The birth of the baby is believed to have taken place prior to May 25.
Before the couple were found, police said the couple had provided different addresses in Ontario, but could have been heading to Peterborough.