Ontario woman appeals manslaughter conviction over infant death

Jennifer Gaskin is appealing her 2002 manslaughter conviction in Ontario, seeking to have the verdict quashed based on new medical evidence. Gaskin was convicted in the death of her 2.5-month-old son, Joseph, after medical experts testified at the time that the child died from shaken baby syndrome.

Recent reviews of shaken-baby cases in the province have raised concerns regarding the original evidence. Three new experts reviewed the file and concluded that while they could not rule out inflicted injury, they found that Joseph, who was born premature and spent two months in the hospital, could have also died from sudden infant death syndrome. The Crown has stated that the original expert evidence has been ‘wholly undermined and placed in grave doubt’ and has suggested Gaskin should be acquitted.