Man held in deaths of two children

EDMONTON • A man charged in the deaths of two young children in Edmonton was ordered by the courts earlier this fall not to have contact with their mother.

Ashton Brian Lafleche, 29, appeared briefly by closedcircuit television in provincial court Friday morning.

Court documents show he faces two counts of seconddegree murder in the deaths of Mackenzie Petawaysin and Mary Lafleche Petawaysin.

He’s also charged with assault causing bodily harm to the children’s mother, Tamara Petawaysin, and breach of probation for failing to comply with an order on Oct. 31 not to have any contact with her.

Lafleche’s defence lawyer, Gary Smith, set the matter over to Dec. 21 and declined to comment outside court.

Edmonton police acting Staff Sgt. Terrie Affolder said officers got a call around 5:35 p.m. Wednesday about a woman who had been obviously assaulted and who was being chased by a man outside.

She was taken to hospital with serious but not lifethreatening injuries and, a few hours later, a naked man acting erratically was arrested at a garage.

Officers did not find the children in an initial search of the rental suite, but after speaking to the suspect they returned and found the youngsters in one of the rooms, said Affolder.

“Their bodies were found concealed underneath piles of various household items,” she said.

Affolder did not give the ages of the children other than to say they were very young. Autopsies were scheduled for Friday.

She said the man was the biological father of one of the children, but was not living in the apartment with the woman.

“They had a relationship at some point because they had a biological child together, and I believe they were still having a relationship of some sort at this time.”

Police said the accused, whom they did not name, was known to them.

In addition to the nocontact order, court records show Lafleche is due in Morinville court on Dec. 18 for a preliminary hearing on a robbery charge and two counts of breaching probation.

His record contains convictions on other charges, including assault and uttering threats.