Warning: This article contains disturbing details.
Cassidy Bernard’s ex-boyfriend has pleaded guilty to manslaughter on his death.
Dwight Austin Isadore had initially been charged with second-degree murder, but the Crown accepted a guilty verdict on the minor charge of manslaughter on Monday in Port Hawkesbury Supreme Court.
Isadore, 23, also pleaded guilty to two counts of child neglect in connection with the case.
According to a consensual statement of facts, Isadore assaulted Bernard, who was his ex-girlfriend and mother of his two children, on October 21, 2018.
The native woman died of her wounds that day and was found at her home in We’koqma’q First Nation, NS, on October 24, 2018. She was found in bed. under a blanket and thick makeup cover.
He was 22 at the time of his death and Isadore was 19.
Judicial documents indicate that Bernard’s seven-month-old twins were found in a crib next to his mother. The children were cold, dehydrated, disoriented, and malnourished, but they survived.
An autopsy determined that Bernard had died of severe neck and head injuries and that his death was declared a homicide.
Isadore was arrested Dec. 3 and charged with second-degree murder and two counts of abandoning a child.
Judicial documents indicate that, after his arrest, Isadore admitted to the RCMP that he had gone to Bernard’s house and that they had argued. He said he hit Bernard several times in the face, neck and back, and that he died in his arms.
According to the agreed statement, Isadore told police he put her to bed, put a blanket on her and made up her face to hide her wounds. He told police the twins were still in the crib when he left home and did not return.
Isadore will be convicted on July 6.