Kierra Elektra Star Williams' parents to stand trial for toddler's death

The parents of Kierra Elektra Star Williams, a 21-month-old who died in 2014, will stand trial.

The toddler's mother, Vanessa Bushie, 38, is charged with second-degree murder and failure to provide the necessaries of life, and her father, Daniel Williams, 35, is charged with manslaughter and failure to provide the necessaries of life.

During the case's pretrial inquiry, charges against the toddler's 22-year-old stepsister Jasmine Bushie were dropped. The Crown still has the opportunity to reinstate those charges.

• Charges against dead toddler's stepsister dropped

A publication ban applies to all evidence and arguments presented during the pretrial inquiry.

On July 17, 2014, the toddler was taken to the hospital in Hodgson, Man., south of the family's home on Peguis First Nation in the Interlake region. She died hours later.

Duringher brief life, she spent sometime in the care of Child and Family Services (CFS).

No cause of death has been released.

The trial for Bushie and Williams is set to begin in the fall of2017 or early 2018.

• Kierra Elektra Star Williams's parents, stepsister face criminal charges