Man gets 9 years for infant daughter’s death

A man convicted of manslaughter in the 2016 death of his infant daughter was sentenced to nine years in prison in Brandon’s Court of King’s Bench on Wednesday.

Keifer Mecas, 35, was found guilty of manslaughter in the death of his 11-week-old daughter, Haelin Taylor, after standing trial in April 2025.

On Wednesday, Justice Scott Abel sentenced Mecas to nine years in custody, minus the time he has spent in incarceration, which is the equivalent of roughly 40 months.

“The circumstances surrounding this offence are tragic. They involve the death of a child at the hands of their parent, with whom they ought to have been safe,” Abel said.

On Jan. 4, 2016, Mecas was alone watching Haelin in Sioux Valley Dakota Nation when the injuries that caused her death occurred. When other family returned home, the infant was unconscious, and an ambulance took her to the Brandon Regional Health Centre.

She was then transported to the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg, where she died on Jan. 23, 2026. Haelin’s death was determined a homicide, and Mecas was arrested seven years later.

Following an autopsy, Haelin’s cause of death was determined to be hypoxic-ischemic brain damage due to a traumatic brain injury — the trauma to her brain caused her heart to stop beating, resulting in a lack of oxygen and blood to her brain.

“Haelin’s head was shaken forcibly,” Abel said. “The forces that needed to be applied to cause these injuries were beyond the normal handling of an infant. The injuries were consistent with a violent shaking.”

“The offender knew, or must have known, the risk and likelihood of serious bodily injury … given the forces applied to the victim.”

While the mechanism and cause of death are known, there’s no explanation as to why Mecas committed the offence, Abel said.

Abel said the sentences imposed for manslaughter range from a suspended sentence to life in prison, depending on the circumstances.

To determine the appropriate sentence, Abel said he needed to weigh several factors.

Abel said there were multiple aggravating factors, including that Mecas abused a member of his family, that the victim was under 18 years of age and that he abused his position of trust.

Abel said Mecas was assessed as a high risk to reoffend and said he would likely benefit from counselling to address grief, addiction and trauma he encountered during his childhood.

There were few, if any, mitigating factors, Abel said, adding that the absence of a guilty plea or expression of remorse is a lack of a mitigating factor.

Evidence showed Mecas had no history of assaultive or abusive behaviour toward his daughter, Abel said.

“The evidence would suggest the opposite. On all accounts, he was a capable and loving father,” he said.

He also outlined the offender’s Gladue factors, including that his family has been directly affected by residential schools and the ’60s Scoop. Mecas hails from Waywayseecappo First Nation and grew up in a household of violence and abuse of alcohol. He has a history of alcohol and drug use, which Abel said was likely influenced by his childhood experiences.

Abel said after weighing these factors, he believed a nine-year penitentiary sentence was fit and appropriate.

The Crown had recommended a sentence of nine years, minus the time he had already served, while defence had argued for a sentence of four years, minus his time in custody.

» sanderson@brandonsun.com