Mother devastated after boyfriend charged in death of toddler

A Winnipeg mother is devastated after her only child died of blunt force injuries last month and the man she was in a relationship with is now charged in connection to his death.

"I feel so guilty, I let this guy into our lives, and I trusted him," April Thompson, the boy's mother, told CBC News Sunday.

Thompson, 22, called 911 after she found her 21-month-old son, Drake Catcheway, not breathing around 10:45 p.m. on August 30.

"I thought my son was sleeping, he was laying on his back," she said. 

"I went to try and wake him up and he wasn't waking up."

Allen Joseph Frier Beardy, 22, has been charged with manslaughter in connection to the death.

Beardy, who is not the boy's father, had been in a relationship with Thompson for about six months when the child died. 

Police said Sunday they believe the boy was injured on two separate occasions that day.

The first injury is alleged to have happened at the child's home on Redwood Avenue that afternoon, the other at a family member's home on Idlewild Bay in the Maples later that evening.

Police said the investigation took a significant amount of work, which is why nearly a month passed before an arrest was made on Friday.

"Investigators worked meticulously to interview numerous witnesses and obtain evidence, it was no small task and I think it's an investigation that will be with them for a long time," said police spokesperson Const. Jay Murray.

21-month-old Drake Catcheway died from blunt force injuries

6 years ago

Duration 2:19

A Winnipeg mother is devastated after her only child died of blunt force injuries last month and the man she was in a relationship with is now charged in connection to his death.

Murray said a weapon was not used in the death and that the injuries were "substantial and severe."

He said the investigation took an emotional toll on everyone involved, including first responders.

"These can be exceptionally difficult investigations for everyone involved, and that includes law enforcement and medical professionals," he said.

"I think the death of a child can weigh heavily on anyone that is touched by this investigation." 

'He was a happy little boy'

Thompson buried her son in their home community of Little Saskatchewan First Nation, about 225 kilometres north of Winnipeg, earlier this month.

She said she only just learned details of the autopsy report on Friday.

"They told me he had three head wounds, and that his kidneys, his lungs, his stomach, were bleeding," she said.

"I started crying as soon as [the investigator] told me that, because I didn't know anything about those injuries, I thought that my son died from a head concussion from [a] fall."

Thompson said she believed her son fell off his bed at the Redwood Avenue home while she was in another room.

She said he had bumped his head and vomited, but he seemed fine afterwards.

She said they took the boy to Beardy's family's home that evening and she thought her son was asleep before checking on him and realizing he wasn't waking up.

Thompson said Beardy was alone with her son on several occasions that evening but still doesn't know exactly what happened.

"How did he end up with all these injuries to his little body?" said Thompson.

"The entire time [since the death] I thought Drake fell on his own.

"I thought I would feel closure after finding out the autopsy, but I don't feel closure."

Thompson said she wants justice for her son.

"He was a happy little boy, and he was well taken care of, he didn't deserve this."