Halifax couple charged in newborn death case agree to stay in custody until June 22

A couple accused of disposing of a newborn’s body that was found in woods near Halifax last weekend were not prepared to seek their release when they appeared in bail court Thursday. Sukhpreet Singh, 23, and his wife, Ramandeep Kaur, 26, are charged with concealing the dead body of an infant with the intent to hide its delivery, interfering with human remains, obstructing police and obstructing justice. The pair first appeared in Halifax bail court on Monday. They were scheduled to have bail hearings on Thursday, but instead consented to remain in custody until June 22, when their charges will return to Halifax provincial court. Singh appeared in court via a video link from the Northeast Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Pictou County. A Punjabi interpreter was in the courtroom to translate the proceedings for him. Kaur was transported to the Spring Garden Road courthouse so she could appear in court in person, but ended up staying downstairs in a cell while a duty lawyer spoke on her behalf. The incidentRelatedMissing newborn baby found dead near Halifax, couple charged with indignity to human remainsHalifax couple accused of concealing newborn's body in woods appear in court Police were alerted on the night of May 22 after paramedics responded to a 911 call from an apartment at 214 Willett St. in Halifax and transported a 23-year-old woman to the hospital in life-threatening condition. The woman had just given birth, Halifax Regional Police said, but there was no sign of her baby. Police and Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue began searching the Willett Street area for the baby, and four people were taken into custody for questioning. Information that was received during the interviews eventually led searchers to Goodwood, where the infant’s body was discovered Sunday at about 3:20 p.m. in woods off Old Coach Road. Police said Singh was related to the woman who was rushed to the hospital. Crown attorney Paul Carver said Monday the woman was unresponsive and in critical condition in the hospital. The latest After Thursday’s court proceeding, Carver told reporters he could not discuss the woman’s condition. An autopsy was conducted by the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service on Monday in an attempt to determine how the infant died. “There have been some very preliminary results, but I’m not at liberty to discuss that kind of evidence,” Carver said. “The medical examiner will take all the time that they need to run all the tests that they have to, and we all have to be patient while that occurs.” He said there is a possibility the couple could face more charges. “That will depend on evidence that we are able to assess,” Carver said. “There will need to be some legal research to make decisions in that regard. “The police investigation is ongoing. As evidence is collected, it’s an ongoing process of assessing evidence and what charges may be appropriate.” As was the case earlier in the week, Carver refused to divulge any details about the incident. “The evidence comes to us confidentially from the police (and) we do disclose that to the defence,” he said. “But it’s not appropriate for the Crown to argue its cases in the public forum.” Carver said the couple have the right to seek bail at any point. “They’ve consented to their remand until June 22 in Halifax provincial court,” he said. “Should their wishes change and they want to schedule a bail hearing, we would expect them to give notice to the Crown. They can do that, and we would … be ready.”

Sukhpreet Singh, 23, and his wife Ramandeep Kaur, 26, are each charged with concealing the body of a child, indignity to human remains and two counts of obstruction.