Warning: This article contains disturbing details.
Cassidy Bernard’s ex-boyfriend has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for manslaughter and a consecutive three years for child abandonment in connection with the young mother’s death.
Dwight Austin Isadore was originally charged with second-degree murder in December 2019, but the Crown accepted a guilty plea to the lesser charge of manslaughter last month in Port Hawkesbury High Court.
Without the time served, Isadore, the father of Cassidy Barnard’s children, will spend just over 14 years behind bars.
Mona Bernard, Cassidy’s mother, says the process has been overwhelming, but says she’s happy with the outcome.
“I’m so happy that my daughter has justice and little girls have justice and now we just have to learn to live without her,” Mona said.
According to an agreed statement of facts, Isadore assaulted Bernard, who is his ex-girlfriend and the mother of his two children, on October 21, 2018.
The local woman died from her injuries that day and was found at her home in We’koqma’q First Nation, NS, on October 24, 2018. She was found in her bed, under a blanket and covered in heavy makeup.
An autopsy determined Bernard died of blunt force trauma to the neck and head, and her death was ruled a homicide.
She was 22 years old at the time of her death and Isador was 19.
Court documents say Bernard’s seven-month-old twins were found in a crib next to their mother. The babies were cold, dehydrated, disoriented and malnourished, but survived.
“This three-year consecutive sentence is one of, if not the, highest sentence in this country for the offense of child abandonment, which recognizes the significant aggravating factors present in this case,” Crown attorney Peter Harrison said.
Court documents say that after his arrest, Isadore admitted to RCMP that he went to Bernard’s home and they got into an argument. He said he punched Bernard several times in the face, neck and back and that she died in his arms.
According to the agreed statement of facts, Isadore told police he put her in her bed, put a blanket over her and put makeup on her face to cover her injuries. He told police the twins were still in their cribs when he left his home and did not return.
Six victim impact statements were delivered to the court on Wednesday, with several read by family, friends and community members.
Mona Bernard said her daughter’s death has changed her life, she is not the same person and her heart is broken.
Chief Annie Bernard Daisley of the We’koqma’q First Nation said Isadore is no longer welcome in the community.
“His young life will be spent in prison where he has to live every day with the crimes he committed against Cassidy,” Daisley said. “Every day he has to think about how he beat her to death and every day he has to think about those two babies he left behind.”
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