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By The Canadian Press

Assessment ordered for Alberta man accused of killing father and daughter

Sep 30, 2015 | 12:07 PM

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. — A 30-day psychiatric assessment has been ordered for a man accused of killing a two-year-old Alberta girl and her father.

The test is to determine if Derek Saretzky is fit to stand trial and what his state of mind was at the time of the alleged offence. 

Saretzky is charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette and her father, Terry Blanchette, as well as with a separate charge of offering an indignity to the little girl’s body.

The 22-year-old made a brief appearance via video link in the Lethbridge courtroom where the assessment was ordered.

Saretzky is back behind bars after being taken to hospital last week.

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Media outlets have quoted sources as saying he tried to commit suicide by hanging himself.

Saretzky was arrested after Blanchette’s body was found in his Blairmore, Alta., home earlier this month.

Authorities couldn’t find Hailey and issued an Amber Alert that stretched across Western Canada and into the United States.

Her body was found a day later.

 

The Canadian Press

©2015 The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

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