PEI

Woman facing 3rd infanticide charge to remain in custody

The woman accused in the deaths of three infant children has consented to remain in custody while she awaits her next court appearance.

Shannon Dawn Rayner to appear in court next week on latest infanticide charge

Shannon Rayner leaves Charlottetown provincial court after a previous court appearance. (Brittany Spencer/CBC)

The woman accused in the deaths of three infant children has consented to remain in custody while she awaits her next court appearance.

Shannon Dawn Rayner, 40, is slated to appear in court May 16 to answer to a third charge of infanticide.

Rayner did not speak during her brief court appearance Tuesday. She wore handcuffs and chains on her ankles.

She was arrested by Charlottetown Police on the weekend after remains of a third infant were found Friday in a garden shed.

According to court records, the third incident is alleged to have taken place in 2011. That predates the other two incidents, which police have said took place in 2014 and 2016.

Police previously found remains of two other infants in storage totes in the basement of the home where Rayner once lived.

Rayner had previously pleaded guilty to the deaths of two infants, and was scheduled to be sentenced next month.

Judge John Douglas told the court on Tuesday he's never before seen a case of infanticide on P.E.I.

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With files from Brian Higgins