Dad charged with murder in deaths of Oak Bay girls
• Andrew Berry, 43, facing two counts of second-degree murder • Daughters found dead on Dec. 25
Andrew Berry has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the deaths of his daughters.
The bodies of Chloe, 6, and Aubrey, 4, were found by Oak Bay police in Berry’s Beach Drive apartment about 5 p.m. on Dec. 25.
Berry, 43, was taken to hospital with self-inflicted wounds. The former B.C. Ferries economist was arrested and charged Wednesday when he was released from hospital.
He is being held in police custody.
The Victoria court registry did not have any information about when Berry’s first court appearance would be.
Family friend Trisha Lees said the girls’ mother, Sarah Cotton, is planning Chloe and Aubrey’s funeral and working to establish a memorial fund in their name. The date of the funeral has not been made public.
Frank Cotton, Sarah Cotton’s uncle, said that Berry should not have been granted overnight or unsupervised visits with his daughters.
Court records show that the Ministry of Children and Family Development opened investigations into Berry in 2015 and 2016 after concerns were raised about his parenting.
A neighbour said child protection authorities were contacted in December after electrical service in Berry’s Oak Bay apartment was cut off.
Frank Cotton is disappointed that the 2015 and 2016 ministry investigations, which resulted in supervised visits for one or two weeks, appeared to “say things were all right.”
“It was glaring them in the eyes,” he said.
“That’s the pitiful part of the whole thing. It should be looked into further.”
Cotton hopes the case will result in a change to the family law system.
Detectives from the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit continue to investigate the girls’ deaths.
Deputy Chief Ray Bernoties of Oak Bay police thanked the major crime investigators for their work.
“From the moment the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit arrived, they have been compassionate, professional, and diligent,” Bernoties said.
“We’ve been engaged with them throughout this investigation and we’re very grateful for their tireless effort.”