Sentencing hearing underway in Edmonton in death of eight year old girl found on Samson Cree Nation

A sentencing decision is expected today in Edmonton in the death of eight year old Nina Napope, whose body was discovered in a hockey bag on the Samson Cree Nation in central Alberta in 2023.

Ashley Rattlesnake pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the case and is scheduled to learn her sentence in Court of King’s Bench. Court proceedings have heard that the child was in Rattlesnake’s care when she was found in the back of a truck on the First Nation, located southwest of Edmonton.

An autopsy determined the girl had suffered multiple broken bones and other serious injuries. Prosecutors have asked the court to impose a nine year prison term, arguing the circumstances of the case warrant a significant custodial sentence.

The case has also drawn attention because of an unusual public dispute between the Edmonton Police Service and Crown prosecutors. Police officials openly criticized the Crown’s handling of the matter earlier in the proceedings, raising concerns about the length of sentence being pursued. Such public disagreements between investigators and prosecutors are rare and have prompted broader discussion within Alberta’s justice system about decision making and transparency.

The sentencing is being closely watched by members of the Samson Cree Nation and by legal observers in Edmonton, as the court weighs the gravity of the offence and the principles of sentencing under Canadian law.