A Manitoba man was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 13 years in the “heinous” murder of a 10-month-old in Flin Flon. Robert Alexander Bear, 28, was found guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Charity Fleury’s daughter, Chase Pearl McCallum-Fleury. Prior to the sentencing, Fleury described the “unimaginable horror” of her daughter’s murder as she read her victim impact statement in court.
The tragic incident occurred on August 11, 2020, when Chase was found in medical distress at home while her mother was at work. Bear, Fleury’s boyfriend at the time, had volunteered to watch the baby after her child-care plans fell through shortly before she returned to work. A few days before the baby’s death, she also suffered a broken arm while in Bear’s care.
Bear was arrested in 2021 and charged with second-degree murder. After a trial based on circumstantial evidence, he was convicted on July 7, 2023. The presiding judge, Sheldon Lanchbery, described the murder as a “heinous act.”
During the sentencing, the emotional impact on Chase’s family was evident, as they mourned the milestones she would never experience. The judge prohibited Bear from possessing weapons for 10 years and imposed an order preventing him from contacting Fleury while incarcerated.
Fleury expressed indescribable feelings of hate and anger toward Bear, emphasizing that her baby knew how much she loved her. Bear, on the other hand, expressed regret, while the judge urged him to try to make amends for his actions.
The pain and grief caused by the tragic death have deeply affected both families, leaving them to grapple with the trauma. While Fleury finds it unfathomable to forgive Bear, she acknowledges the need to forgive herself for the death of her daughter. No factors were found to provide context for the killing, and Bear was deemed a low risk to reoffend according to a pre-sentence report.
The tragedy is a reminder of the devastating impact of such heinous acts on families and communities. The eventual hope for some form of closure rests on the difficulty of finding a way forward and the profound emotional complexities faced by those involved.
The devastating impact of the killing underscores the critical need for addressing the emotional and psychological well-being of all affected parties. The collective trauma experienced by the families and the community at large serves as a stark reminder of the far-reaching consequences of such tragic events. Such cases also underscore the importance of offering support and stability to those affected as they navigate the difficult path toward healing and forgiveness.