A Winnipeg father pleaded guilty to manslaughter after his toddler died from fentanyl ingestion in their home, with the death deemed avoidable if medical help had been sought sooner.
Father Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter in Toddler’s Death
WINNIPEG – The father of a toddler who died after ingesting fentanyl in the family’s Winnipeg home has pleaded guilty to manslaughter for failing to seek medical help in a timely manner.
The manslaughter trial for Garry Bruce was set to begin on Monday in front of Manitoba Court of King’s Bench Justice Christian Monnin but did not proceed as Bruce entered a guilty plea.
Details of the Case
| Event | Date | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Incident | March 2023 | Hanna Boulette became sick after ingesting fentanyl. |
| 911 Call | March 2023 | Bruce and Boulette called 911 after about seven hours. |
| Charges Filed | February 2024 | Bruce and Boulette were charged after an investigation. |
| Autopsy Result | March 2023 | Hanna died from acute fentanyl intoxication. |
| Sentence Recommendation | January 2026 | Joint recommendation of just under three years. |
An agreed statement of facts presented in court stated that it took roughly seven hours for Bruce and his partner, Sabrina Boulette, to call 911 after noticing their one-year-old daughter, Hanna Boulette, was sick.
The home was described as being in a deplorable state, with garbage, dog feces, and drug paraphernalia scattered around. Officers found a syringe filled with fentanyl in an open diaper box on the bathroom floor.
Court heard it is unclear how Hanna ingested the opioid, but her death might have been avoidable if her parents had sought medical help. Crown prosecutor Boyd McGill stated, “Treatment was available. An antidote to opiate overdose is available, and it is effective.”
Police first charged Bruce and Boulette in February 2024 after a lengthy investigation. Court heard that Hanna began acting listless on the morning of her death. By the time paramedics arrived, she was in cardiac arrest and later died in the hospital.
Bruce and Boulette created a cover story for police, fearing child and family services would take Hanna. They claimed she was left with a friend while they were apartment hunting. Boulette maintained this story during police questioning but later confessed.
Bruce’s lawyer, Kristen Jones, stated, “Mr. Bruce didn’t intend for his child to die. He didn’t set out to harm her.” Bruce has a history of criminal offenses, including drug trafficking in 2010.
Wearing a prison-issued grey sweatsuit, Bruce wept during the two-hour hearing. He expressed remorse, saying, “I’m sorry. My family is everything to me. I’m so sorry.”
The Crown and Bruce’s lawyers requested a joint recommendation of a sentence of just under three years or time served. Bruce was expected to be officially released later that day.
Justice Monnin remarked, “This matter is profoundly tragic and serious. It involves a basic failure of duty owed to a child – one of the most vulnerable members of our society.”
Boulette had previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter and is awaiting sentencing.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on January 5, 2026.
