Mother of infant found dead in New Westminster sentenced to 4.5 years

Karma Dyck, 44, has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter in the death of her 18-month-old child in New Westminster five years ago.

New Westminster police responded to a call about an unresponsive infant at 1300-block 5th Avenue on July 24, 2021. After officers determined the circumstances were suspicious, the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team took over. Following a lengthy investigation involving IHIT, the New West police major crimes unit, the integrated forensics team, and the B.C. Coroners Service, Dyck was charged with manslaughter, aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, and failure to provide the necessaries of life in February 2023.

Dyck pleaded guilty to manslaughter in New West courtroom in April 2025. On Monday, she was also issued a lifetime firearms prohibition and a DNA order.

"Infant deaths are particularly challenging to investigate," said Sgt. Freda Fong of IHIT in a statement. "In addition to the profound emotional impact of these cases, they often occur in private settings with limited witness evidence, making them difficult to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. Investigators must go to great lengths to gather a wide range of corroborating evidence. While nothing can undo the tragedy, establishing the truth helps to provide some answers to those affected and offers an opportunity to learn from it in hope of preventing similar incidents in the future."