Man guilty of manslaughter in death of Cold Lake toddler

The 37-year-old man facing second-degree murder charges after a Cold Lake toddler was killed in 2017 was found guilty of manslaughter this week in St. Paul.

Sherman Whitford from Whitefish Lake was accused of killing 16-month-old Veronica Poitras, the daughter of his girlfriend in Cold Lake two years ago.

A Gladue Report is expected when sentencing.

Poitras died on Aug. 29, 2017 after being taken off life support in an Edmonton hospital, three days after she was admitted to care.

The death was viewed a homicide in September 2019 and Whitford was charged the following month.

The penalty for manslaughter can range from probation to life imprisonment.