Canadian woman found guilty of faking death and kidnapping her son
The woman was sentenced to a year in prison.
Famous Canadian writer Dawn Marie Walker (published under the pseudonym Dawn Dumont) pleaded guilty to kidnapping her son and staging her and his death. The woman and child were reported missing in the summer of 2022, and two weeks later they were both found in the US state of Oregon. Walker also crossed the border into the US illegally. Cumulatively for all the offenses, she was sentenced to 12 months in prison and 18 months of probation after that.
How events unfolded
Walker, 49, disappeared with her son in July 2022 from her hometown of Saskatoon. The woman faked her death, leaving clothes, fishing rods and some of her and her child's personal belongings on the riverbank. Using fake documents and a car bought with cash, they traveled to the U.S., where they were discovered by law enforcement two weeks later.
The child told police that they "had gone on a trip and they had gotten lost on the way to Las Vegas." Walker pleaded not guilty immediately after her discovery and said she was fleeing domestic violence.
Canadian police have charged her with nine offenses, including parental abduction, identity fraud and passport fraud.
Why did she do it
Walker separated from her partner (and the child's father) in 2018. They then agreed on child custody, but the outcome of the arrangement was not satisfactory to the woman.
In 2020, she reported the abuse by her ex to the police. In 2021, she reported allegations of abuse to the Ministry of Social Services. None of these referrals resulted in charges or a case being filed against her ex.
Walker's lawyer insists that because of inaction by Saskatchewan and Canadian authorities, the woman had to take matters into her own hands. The child's father denies all charges.
Publicity
At the hearing, Walker repented and stated that she had fled "out of a sincere belief that her child was in grave imminent danger". She also recalled that she was an indigenous person and that this had influenced the deafness of law enforcement to her pleas for help.
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Dawn Dumont is an acclaimed writer and advocate for Indigenous rights in Canada. While the police investigation was ongoing, her latest novel was shortlisted for the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour, one of the oldest literary prizes in Canada.
Her case has attracted significant attention and support from other writers and Indigenous advocates, who note that Walker's story is a reflection of the systemic errors faced by non-white women in the Canadian legal system.
