Kaden Young, three, died after he slipped from his mother’s arms and was taken by a current in Ontario’s Grand River as the two tried to escape their submerged vehicle
A mother tested positive for a cocktail of drugs on the night she drove into a Canadian river and her three-year-old son was swept away, court documents say.
Police allege that Michelle Hanson drove past a road closure sign marked by orange pylons and onto a flooded road on February 21 last year.
Her minivan was then caught up fast-moving water and swept into the Grand River in Ontario at around 1am.
Hanson’s three-year-old son Kaden Young drowned after he was taken by a current as the two attempted to escape the submerged van.
Hanson was rescued on the river bank and found to have cocaine, OxyContin, Percocet and alcohol in her system, according to a letter sent to a family court judge in nearby Orangeville.
The letter, from Dufferin Child and Family services, cites a toxicology report by the Center for Forensic Sciences.
Michelle Hanson (pictured) faces charges of impaired driving causing death, dangerous driving causing death and criminal negligence causing death
Hanson was charged in October with impaired driving causing death, dangerous driving causing death and criminal negligence causing death.
According to an affidavit submitted by Kaden’s father Cam Young, just after midnight on February 21 2018 Hanson entered his bedroom and told him she was driving to the store to buy cigarettes.
The affidavit says that Hanson proposed to take Kaden with her because the toddler was still awake and car rides often helped him to fall asleep.
Kaden Young, three, died after his mother allegedly drove past a ‘road closed’ sign while crossing the Grand River in Ontario, Canada last February
Hanson’s vehicle was pulled from the Grand River in Ontario (pictured) and after a 60-day search her son’s body was also recovered
Hanson said that after the car was swept away by the river Kaden slipped out of her arms as she tried to get to safety.
The toddler’s body was recovered on April 21 following a two-month search by authorities and thousands of volunteers.
A pretrial for the case has been scheduled for April 9.