Following an eight month investigation into the death of a young boy in March of 2013, Calgary police have arrested and charged the boy’s mother.
44-year-old Tamara Sophia Lovett is facing charges of criminal negligence causing death and failing to provide the necessaries of life in connection to the death of her son, seven-year-old Ryan Lovett.
According to police, Ryan, who lived with his mother in an apartment suite in the 900 block of 17 Ave. S.W., contracted a strep infection in February of this year. Tamara is alleged to have provided her son with holistic remedies instead of seeking medical treatment for the infection.
Detectives believe Ryan was bedridden for 10 days before suffering a seizure. Emergency crews were called to the home on the morning of March 2, 2013 and the boy was transported to hospital by ambulance. Ryan Lovett was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the medical centre.
Donn Lovett, Tamara’s father, was shocked to hear of his daughter’s arrest and is disturbed by the way the investigation into his grandson’s death has been handled by police.
“The facts don’t line up,” Donn Lovett told CTV Calgary. “Ryan had flu-like symptoms and seemed to be getting better even the day before he died. You wouldn’t rush your child to the hospital for flu-like symptoms.”
Donn says Ryan was extremely loved by Tamara, adding that Tamara would not hesitate to provide Ryan with antibiotics or Children’s Tylenol when the child was ill.
“Tamara would never, ever, ever do anything to put him in harm’s way. Ever. He was the most loved and respected child you could ever possibly imagine. Ryan was a pure, pure delight, kind and generous. No one should ever lose a child”.
“She devoted her life to that child and what they’re alleging is lunacy.”
According to Donn, the Medical Examiner’s report determined Ryan’s death was caused by Streptococcus Pyogenes, the bacteria which can cause flesh eating disease, and the family was urged to take powerful antibiotics to avoid contracting the infection.
