Accused killer mom gives birth in custody

A Calgary woman who is set to face trial next spring for allegedly killing two of her newborn babies and trying to kill another gave birth to a baby boy last summer, a source confirmed Tuesday.

According to the source, Meredith Katharine Borowiec, 31, delivered the baby while in custody on July 26, then gave it up for adoption immediately.

The birth came just over a month after Borowiec was in provincial court for a preliminary hearing to determine whether there was sufficient evidence to go to trial on two counts of second-degree murder.

She faces one count of at- tempted murder as well.

The woman wore a loosefitting sweatshirt and pants during the hearing.

At the time, she was represented by lawyer Paul Brunnen, but has since switched to Jim Lutz and Andrea Serink, who will represent her for the six-week trial starting March 25. Jayme Williams is the assigned Crown prosecutor on the case.

Borowiec pleaded not guilty to all of the charges on Oct. 5, when the trial date was set. The jury for the trial will be selected on March 22.

Borowiec also is charged with failing to provide the necessities of life and abandoning a child.

She remains in custody pending trial.

Police laid the two murder charges against Borowiec last year, a week after they charged her with the attempted murder of her son, who was allegedly born at home in the toilet and thrown into a garbage bin at Queens Park Village in northwest Calgary.

Police also believe the accused gave birth some time in 2008 and again in 2009, and that both babies died shortly after being born.

Police have said previously that it is “highly unlikely” either of those two bodies will ever be found.

Police say all three births for which she faces charges are believed to have occurred in Calgary, although no medical records exist since they were never brought to hospital.

The situation came to light Oct. 19, 2010.

That was when a passerby in the 500 block of 40th Avenue N.W. heard a baby crying inside a garbage bin and investigated.

The child, who was recovered from a garbage bag inside the bin, later displayed no effects from the ordeal, police told reporters last year.