'Mommy, wake up'

Photo: Contributed

A trial was told Jillian McKinty's body was found by her young children.

UPDATE: 4:10 p.m.

The trial of Logan Scott, accused of manslaughter in the 2013 death of Jillian McKinty in Armstrong, will resume in B.C. Supreme Court in Kelowna on Sept. 11.

ORIGINAL STORY: 12:06 p.m.

A neighbour of Jillian McKinty, who was found dead in her Armstrong home on Nov. 27, 2013, described in B.C. Supreme Court how she heard McKinty's children in distress in the downstairs suite on the morning in question.

Jody North, who lived upstairs from McKinty on Wolfenden Terrace in Armstrong, said she heard the twin boys calling, “Mommy, wake up. We've got to get ready to go.”

North said McKinty was usually up and taking the boys to pre-school around 7:30 a.m. on weekdays.

“At about 8 o'clock, I heard what almost sounded like panic in the boys' voices,” said North, who then went downstairs and knocked on the door.

When she asked what was wrong, they said "Mommy won't wake up.”

North was testifying in Vernon Thursday in the case of Logan Scott who is charged with manslaughter.

North told the court she had to explain to the youngsters how to unlock the door.

They then guided her to the living room where North could see McKinty in her bedroom lying on the bed.

“I went into the bedroom....I reached out and shook her arm. She was cold to the touch. She had a blue tinge to the mouth.”

North said she then left the bedroom, closing the door most of the way so the boys' could not see in and then took them upstairs to her suite.

She had her own son watch the children while she went outside and called 9-1-1.

North confirmed she heard the muffled voices of a female and a male downstairs the night before McKinty was found dead.

Also testifying Thursday was RCMP Const. Ian McLeod who works out of the Armstrong detachment and took a number of the photos used in evidence at the trial.

When asked if he had seen any evidence of a struggle inside McKinty's bedroom, McLeod said, “no.”

McLeod said McKinty appeared to be dressed and lying in bed with her hands up almost as if she were holding a pillow.

“It appeared as though she was relaxing in bed, possibly fell asleep and died in her sleep,” McLeod said was his first observation of the scene.

Meanwhile, the justice hearing the case has ruled admissible, evidence given by an expert witness on Wednesday.

Dr. Anny Sauvageau, former chief medical health officer of Alberta, said the accused explanation of McKinty's death could not be accurate, that it was, impossible.

Defence lawyers were told they could argue against her evidence in final arguments.

The case continues.