Mother who killed toddler denied day parole

A Waywayseecappo First Nation woman who killed her two-year-old son more than 11 years ago has been denied day parole, nearly a year after having her full parole revoked.

In a decision released Thursday, the Parole Board of Canada denied Jessica Melissa Brandon’s application over her “moderate” risk to reoffend and history of substance use.

“In summary, the Board has determined that you will present an undue risk to society if released on day parole and that your release will not contribute to the protection of society by facilitating your reintegration into society as a law-abiding citizen,” said the decision, dated July 27.

Brandon, 46, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to eight years in prison in Brandon Court of Queen’s Bench in July 2019 for the killing of Draze Brandon-Catcheway.

The killing occurred in January 2015 after Brandon had been drinking and passed out for a period of time, waking up to find Draze jumping around and refusing to listen to her. Brandon grabbed the child, threw him onto the floor and struck him multiple times in the head area.

An autopsy found the child died from an acute blunt force head injury.

The board said while there are multiple mitigating factors for Brandon’s day parole case, they were “outweighed” by her assessment of risk.

Efforts at personal change throughout her sentence, including attending programming and working on substance abuse, and her Indigenous social history — which includes lasting impacts of residential schools, parental neglect and familial substance use — were mitigating factors that were considered.

“Your criminal history, although short, also displays previous acts of violence (including intimate partner violence) and failures to comply with imposed conditions. Substance abuse is a factor in your offending,” the board wrote.

Brandon was previously granted day parole in September 2021 before being given full parole in November 2023.

The board revoked her full parole in October 2025, citing “deceptive behaviours and return to significant alcohol abuse.”

In Thursday’s decision, the board said Brandon’s previous time on day parole had been positive, but she struggled when given full parole.

“During your full parole you struggled and breached your conditions multiple times,” the board wrote. “You abused substances, and were suspended from work — likely due to poor performance as a result of substance abuse.”

She has continued to struggle with substances, the board said.

Brandon also engaged in a months-long undisclosed relationship with another offender, the decision said.

The board’s previous decision when her parole was revoked said Brandon relapsed three times with alcohol consumption and failed to attend three consecutive urinalysis tests before providing a test that returned insufficient volume.

The previous decision also said that alcohol abuse was a direct contributing factor in her son’s death.

“Overall, the board assesses that your risk on day parole cannot be effectively managed. You have demonstrated a persistent return to substance abuse when faced with stressors,” the decision said.

“The Board would encourage you to use the time left in your sentence prior to your statutory release date to work with your (case management team) to develop a robust strategy to support you,” the board added.

The board also imposed several conditions for Brandon’s future statutory release, the timeline for which was not stated.

Statutory release requires federally sentenced inmates to serve the final third of their sentence in the community, the federal government’s website says.

The special conditions include not drinking alcohol or consuming drugs, remaining employed or actively searching for employment, disclosing relationships and not having contact with children under 16 years old.

The board said it imposed the conditions “in order to protect society and to facilitate (Brandon’s) successful reintegration into society.”

» alambert@brandonsun.com