Fleury said she still remembers every detail of the day her daughter died — how “absolutely helpless” she felt watching paramedics work on Chase, how she screamed in horror when they told her there was nothing more they could do, how she slammed her hands on the floor until both palms were bruised.
But not knowing exactly how her daughter died weighs on her.
“Did she suffer? Did she wonder where her mommy was? She must have been so scared,” Fleury said at the sentencing, speaking through sobs before addressing Bear.
She tore into him for comforting her at Chase’s funeral — before he was charged in the baby’s death — and putting her family through the ordeal of a trial.
“Still to this day, I don’t know what happened to my baby. But I see you as the person you are. And no matter what you try and say to defend yourself — no matter what sob story you try and cry — I see you for what you are.”
Pain ‘I would never wish on anybody’
Two of Chase’s grandparents and her great-grandmother also spoke at Bear’s sentencing, at times shouting at him and describing through tears the effect the baby’s death has had on their family as they mourn the milestones she will now never experience — like learning to walk, going to kindergarten or graduating from high school.
“That day changed all of us,” said Fleury’s mother, Colette Gunville.
“To lose our granddaughter so young and to see my daughter cry for her baby — as her mother, not be able to console her. I would give my own life to give my daughter her baby back. It’s pain that I would never wish on anybody.”
Crown attorney Kaley Tschetter said the “tremendous” emotional impact of the baby’s death was clear throughout the trial, including when one of the paramedics who attempted to treat Chase broke down crying while testifying.
When given the chance to speak, Bear said he was sorry.
Court heard Bear is a member of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation in Saskatchewan. He was born to 16-year-old parents and raised by his grandparents, both of whom were forced to attend day schools.
But there were no factors that might have provided context for the killing, like addictions, mental illness, learning disabilities, a troubled childhood or a previous criminal record, court heard. A pre-sentence report deemed him a low risk to reoffend.