Glace Bay man pleads guilty to criminal negligence in death of 4-month-old son

A Glace Bay, N.S., man has pleaded guilty to criminal negligence in the 2019 death of his four-month-old son.

Jason Wayne Comer was scheduled to stand trial for four days this week, but he changed his plea Monday morning in Sydney provincial court.

The Crown attorney in the case, Darcy MacPherson, said a second charge of failing to provide the necessities of life will be dropped, because the criminal negligence charge is more serious and includes endangerment of life.

Cape Breton Regional Police were called to a house on Cottage Street in Glace Bay on Oct. 9, 2019, where paramedics were attending to an infant in distress. The child was taken to hospital and was later pronounced dead.

There was no agreed statement of facts presented in court on Monday, so it's not clear what happened.

However, MacPherson and defence lawyer Darlene MacRurydid agree that the incidents leading up to the charge occurred between Sept. 28, 2019, and Oct. 9, 2019, inclusive.

Comer, who was 43 at the time, remains free on an undertaking with conditions, including that he not be in the company of a child under 10 years old unless he is accompanied by a responsible adult.

He is due back in court July 9 for a presentence report and sentencing.

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