Jennifer and Jeromie Clark to stand trial in Calgary toddler's starving death - Action News
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Calgary

Jennifer and Jeromie Clark to stand trial in Calgary toddler's starving death

A Calgary judge has overturned a publication ban that prevented the media from reporting the identities of a couple recently committed to stand trial in connection with the death of their toddler.

Judge rules Calgary couple can be ID'd in son's death from staph infection and malnutrition

A Calgary judge has overturned a publication ban that prevented the media from reporting the identities of a couple recently committed to stand trial in connection with the death of their toddler.

Two weeks ago, aprovincial court judge found there was enough evidence for Jennifer and Jeromie Clark to go to trial on charges of failing to provide the necessaries of life and criminal negligence causing death for the 2013death of their 14-month-old, John Clark.

At the time of the couple's arrest, police saidthe familywho claim to be Seventh-day Adventistfollowed a strict diet based on an extreme interpretation of the religion.

A publication ban granted at the beginning of the preliminary inquiryprevented the media from reporting the names of both the accused and the victim.

Major media outlets in Calgary fought the ban and on Tuesday,Court of Queen's Bench Judge Jo'Anne Strekafoverturned it.

Toddler's cause of death twofold

TheClarks were arrested on Dec. 12, 2014, and charged with criminal negligencecausing death and failure to provide the necessaries of life.

Police began investigating after their son was brought to the hospital by his parents on Nov. 28, 2013.He was treated but died the following day.

The medical examiner found the cause of death to be a staph infection complicated by malnutrition.

Police say couple concealed son's condition

John was born at home and had never been to a doctor.

Police said it appearedthe parents took steps to concealtheir son'scondition from other family members.

The evidence heard at the three-day preliminary inquiry is still protected by a publication ban.

The matter is back in court on Jan. 8, 2016, to set a date for trial.