Derek Saretzky hospitalization not because of prison attack

Injuries sustained by the man accused of murdering an Alberta toddler and her father were not the result of a prison attack.

"The medical distress that resulted in transportation to hospital was not the result of any altercation," Alberta Justice spokesperson Michelle Davio said in a statement,while not naming Derek Saretzky directly for privacy reasons.

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There had beenspeculationon social media and reports in some news outlets that he may have been attacked by a fellow inmate.

Sources told CBC News on Wednesday his injuries were the result of a suicide attempt. He is being treated at the Lethbridge Regional Hospital, and is in a medically-induced coma.

"The inmate from theLethbridgeCorrectional Centre who was taken to hospital in medical distress yesterday continues to receive care in hospital,"Daviosaid about his current condition.

The 22-year-old has been charged with first-degree murderof two-year-oldHaileyDunbar-Blanchetteand her father, TerryBlanchette.There is an additional charge of committing indignity to a body inHailey'sdeath.

Grandfather has no update

Saretzky'sgrandfather, meanwhile, told CBC News that he had no update on the condition of the 22-year-old fromBlairmore,Alta.

Saretzkyhad been scheduled to appear in aLethbridgecourtroom Wednesday, but the matter was adjourned to Sept. 30.

Hailey's body was found last week in a rural area near Blairmore, a day after her father was discovered dead in their home in the southern Albertatown of about 2,000 people.

The case sparked an Amber Alert across Western Canada and Montana.

Authorities have not disclosed why they believe the father and his daughter were killed, or why Saretzky is their only suspect in the case.