Defence lawyer seeks closed bail hearing in Edmonton child abuse case

A defence lawyer is asking a bail hearing to be closed to the public in the case of two young girls who were allegedly discovered with broken bones in furniture boxes in a locked basement in northeast Edmonton.

Douglas Lee appeared in provincial criminal court Monday on behalf of two mothers who were charged in December with attempted murder, unlawful confinement and abandonment.

Lee said he hoped to have the proceedings held in-camera because a crime report on Facebook hasidentified the children, aged3 and 6, whose identities are protected under a publication ban..

The website also published photos and names of the co-accused. CBC News is identifying the mothers by their initials: JL, age 24, and AM, 23.

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"It's viewable by anyone in the public," Lee told the court. "The ID(s)of the parties we're trying to protect are being revealed."

The disturbing case was first reported by CBC News last month based on accounts from multiple sources.

They said the mothers were having a night out when the sisterswere discovered by a babysitter who called 9-11.

She found them in thebasement, which had been blocked by a piece of furniture, said sources. At one point the girls were in closed furniture boxes, they added.

The girls were transported to hospital but have since been released and are now in foster care.

Subsequent testing revealed the three-year-old had likely been eating her own hair that was found in her stomach.

Sources said AM's three children, ages 2, 3, and 5, were upstairs in the two-storey townhouse at the time, but they didn't show the same signs of abuse.

No ruling from judge

Lee represents AM, who was not in court Monday. Lee also acted as agent for JL, whose lawyer Ajay Juneja was not present.

JL, who appeared by closed-circuit television in a yellow prison jumpsuit, her hair tied in a topknot, appeared to listen closely to proceedings.

Three people who knew the accused werein the gallery.

Judge Ray Bodnarekdid not rule on Lee's request to close the hearing to the public.

"That will be up to the judge on that given day," he said.

Bodnarekagreed to Lee's proposed date of Feb. 22 for a bail hearing. An interim appearance to set a date for trial and a preliminary inquiry was scheduled for Jan. 25.

AM is also accused of assaulting two of her children with a belt.

AM's children have also become wards of the province. According to court records, they were allegedly unlawfully confined by the two women between July 1 and Dec. 16.

andrea.huncar@cbc.ca @andreahuncar