Charges stayed against parents in toddler's death

Crown prosecutors have stayed charges against parents who were facing a third trial in the death of their toddler in southern Alberta.

Shawn Buckley, a lawyer for David and Collet Stephan, said Tuesday he received a letter from the Crown about the decision.

"The Crown dropped the charges," Buckley told The Canadian Press. "Obviously they're very relieved that the Crown is not proceeding against them to try and convict them."

A copy of the letter from Chief Prosecutor Shelley Bykewich directs the Lethbridge court to stay charges of failing to provide the necessaries of life against the Stephans.

The Stephans were accused of not seeking medical attention sooner for their 18-month-old son before he died in 2012.

They testified that they were treating the boy with natural remedies for what they thought was croup.

Buckley said the Crown's decision caught him a little off guard.

"Actually it's a little surprising because we still have an application for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada," he said.

"Both David and Collet Stephan want to proceed with that because they think it's very important for the law to be clarified so that other parents don't face the type of uncertainty that they have been facing," Buckley added.