Kaela Mehl hired private investigators who followed her ex-husband Daniel Cunningham, his family, and a woman she saw leaving his home, the jury in MehlB次元官网网址檚 first-degree murder trial heard Tuesday.
The Victoria woman is charged in the death of her 18-month-old daughter, Charlotte Cunningham. She has admitted to causing the girlB次元官网网址檚 death by feeding her the sleeping pill Zopiclone mixed in yogurt and smothering her.
Dana Simard, a marriage counsellor who met with Mehl and her ex-husband in early 2015, took the stand Tuesday morning. Simard testified that Mehl told her she recorded interactions and hired a private investigator who followed Cunningham and his family to see if he was breaching court orders relating to custody of Charlotte.
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Simard described a contentious relationship between B次元官网网址渢wo strong-willed individuals.B次元官网网址� In the coupleB次元官网网址檚 joint meetings, Simard said, Cunningham seemed sad and Mehl seemed angry and defensive. The counsellor later saw Mehl in private sessions after the couple separated.
On cross-examination, Crown lawyer Lorne Phibbs read back SimardB次元官网网址檚 notes from a one-on-one session with Mehl to confirm their accuracy.
B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 have a child to share her, to miss parts of her life,B次元官网网址� Mehl is quoted as saying about the custody split. B次元官网网址淲hat did I do to be punished by Dan for him to take her from me?B次元官网网址�
In the course of SimardB次元官网网址檚 testimony Tuesday, she paused to read her notes and consider her answers.
Phibbs questioned her about comments Mehl made regarding surveilling her ex-husband, his family, and a woman seen leaving his home, and hiring a private investigator.
B次元官网网址淚 sat outside waiting to follow her,B次元官网网址� Mehl is quoted as saying. B次元官网网址淒an saw me follow [her] B次元官网网址� and his face: he was going to shit bricks.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚 know her name (Facebook) and now my P.I. is looking into it,B次元官网网址� Phibbs continued from the councillorB次元官网网址檚 notes.
On redirect, defence lawyer Jeremy Mills asked Simard whether surveillance was the right term to describe MehlB次元官网网址檚 actions. Simard characterized them as B次元官网网址渁 form of surveillanceB次元官网网址� and also B次元官网网址渧ery concerned observing.B次元官网网址�
Mills also asked Simard whether Mehl gave reasons for being concerned about Cunningham being with their daughter.
Simard said Mehl told her she was concerned over CunninghamB次元官网网址檚 use of alcohol and drinking around Charlotte. B次元官网网址淚 observed a significant amount of worry and sadness and confusion, and B次元官网网址� feeling thwarted, feeling stuck and very distressed,B次元官网网址� Simard said.
The defenseB次元官网网址檚 case continues Wednesday.
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Read Victoria B次元官网网址B次元官网网址� coverage of the Kaela Mehl murder trial
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