Saskatchewan father who killed toddler in police neglect case sentenced to 16 years

PRINCE ALBERT

A judge has sentenced a Saskatchewan man to 16 years for manslaughter in the beating death of his 13-month-old son.

Court heard Monday that Kaij Brass of Prince Albert, Sask., hit his child repeatedly, resulting in the toddler’s death, hours after police showed up for a domestic call involving the boy’s parents in 2022.

The father was given about three years’ credit for the time he spent in pretrial custody.

Two officers who showed up at the family’s home in the hours before the killing were found to have neglected their duty in not checking on the child, Tanner Brass.

Court heard Kaij Brass kicked the boy’s mother, Kyla Frenchman, out of their home after a fight, causing the toddler to cry.

“His response was a natural one. As a young child, he became upset,” prosecutor Rob Parker told court.

“Rather than comfort or console, which it appears Mr. Brass says he began to do, he did not see that through to completion and instead became violent with his son.”

A report from the Public Complaints Commission last year said Frenchman had called 911 earlier in the day to say Brass was intoxicated and had assaulted her.

The two officers spoke with Frenchman outside the home, but she didn’t want to pursue an assault investigation.

The report said the officers failed to follow the force’s intimate partner violence policy by not entering the house or attempting to check on Tanner.

Frenchman had wanted to take her child, but it was cold outside and the officers decided it would be best he stay with Brass. They then took the mother to the police station so she could have somewhere warm to sleep, as all the women’s shelters were full.

Five hours later, Brass called 911 and said he had killed his baby.

Court heard the father was frustrated with Frenchman and took it out on Tanner, but Brass did not intend to kill the boy.

Reading from the agreed statement of facts, Parker said Brass began to spank his son then repeatedly hit him on the chest and the head.