Mother of baby found in Wal-Mart washroom pleads not guilty
Last Updated: Wednesday, October 17, 2007 | 5:46 PM CT
CBC News
A young woman charged with abandoning her newborn baby in a Wal-Mart washroom in Prince Albert has pleaded not guilty.
The woman made the plea in a Prince Albert courtroom Wednesday afternoon.
A preliminary hearing will be held in February to determine whether there is enough evidence to send her to trial.
In a case that made headlines across Canada, the baby boy was discovered in a washroom stall by a store employee on May 21. Months later, the 21-year-old mother was charged.
Outside the courthouse, the woman's lawyer says she desperately wants to be reunited with her baby.
Ajay Krishan says the baby is currently being taken care of by Lac La Ronge Indian Child and Family Services.
"The child carries the mother's last name and the mother and the child have had visits and it's the intent of the mother to be reunited back with the child once these proceedings are done," Krishan said.
The court has ordered a ban on publication of the woman's name. Media lawyers are challenging the ban. A hearing on that issue will be held in December.
