Judge breaks down while sentencing woman to life for toddler’s murder at Toronto CAS

In a Toronto Superior Court, Justice Kelly Byrne sentenced Shardanae Cousin-Emily to life imprisonment with an 18-year period before parole eligibility for the second-degree murder of three-year-old Yverson Belotte Junior, affectionately called Quinn. The child had been left with Cousin-Emily for a weekend visit and later taken to the Children’s Aid Society (CAS) for a supervised meeting with her own son. Surveillance footage captured Quinn entering the CAS playroom alive and later being carried out of a washroom lifeless, with the defendant refusing help from an on-site security guard.

Overcome with emotion, Byrne briefly exited the courtroom before returning to deliver her judgment and apologize. Crown attorneys Anna Standford and Carime Boehr recommended the life term, while defence lawyers Jacob Stilman and Roger Rowe argued for a 15-year parole ineligibility. Quinn’s father, Yverson Belotte, praised the court’s decision and announced a civil lawsuit against the CAS, blaming inadequate staffing and security for the tragedy.