Dad, step to stand trial for 1st-degree murder in death of 6-year-old daughter (Calgary, Canada)

This is a classic example of obfuscation in a child abuse article.

The murdered girl apparently had a living mother (see line 5), so this child did not end up in the home of Daddy and the step due to the mother's death. Dads don't give birth, so therefore the child must have ended up in his home by some sort of human decision. Was this "voluntary" on Mom's part? Or--as is more likely--did this child end up in Daddy's home due to the decision of a judge? If so, was this court-ordered visitation, full custody, what?

Of course, there is utter silence on these issues. No willingness to explore how this crime was made possible. Typical. Just who are we protecting here?

Plus this girl had pre-existing injuries. Were these ever reported? If so, did the authorities just ignore the reports or what?

Dad is identified as SPENCER JORDAN.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/mobile/news/calgary/Calgary+couple+stand+trial+first+degree+murder+child+death/9256821/story.html

Father, stepmother face first-degree murder trial in child’s death

Friday, December 6, 2013

By Daryl Slade, Calgary Herald


The father and stepmother of six-year-old Meika Jordan have been ordered to stand trial on first-degree murder in connection with her death last year.

Provincial court Judge Paul Mason on Friday committed Spencer Jordan and Marie Magoon to face a Court of Queen’s Bench jury trial on the most serious charge in the Criminal Code.

Both accused are scheduled to next appear in criminal court Feb. 17 to set a date for the trial.

Evidence from the preliminary inquiry cannot be reported because of a court-ordered ban.

Crown prosecutors Susan Pepper and Hyatt Mograbee called more than a dozen witnesses, including doctors, paramedics, the primary police investigator, undercover officers and the girl’s mother during the two-week hearing that started in October.

Jordan and Magoon were originally charged with second-degree murder following a lengthy investigation but the charges were upgraded in July, leaving the accused facing a life sentence with a minimum of 25 years in prison before parole if convicted.

Officers were initially called to the accused couple’s home in the 6700 block of Temple Drive N.E. on the evening of Nov. 13, 2012.

Meika was taken to hospital and died the next day.

Police said the explanation offered by the couple for the girl’s serious injuries didn’t match her wounds.

The death was deemed a homicide when an autopsy determined she died as a result of multiple blunt-force trauma.

Investigators also discovered that Meika had sustained a severe third-degree burn to her hand and palm, and other undetermined injuries prior to her death.