Derek Saretzky, the man accused of killing two-year-old Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette and her father Terry Blanchette, remains in hospital on Thursday morning after attempting to take his own life, sources say.
The 22-year-old was found at the Lethbridge Correctional Centre on Wednesday morning in medical distress.
Multiple sources tell CTV say that Saretzky was found by guards after he had attempted to hang himself with his jail clothing.
At that time, he did not have a pulse, but he was rushed to the Chinook Regional Hospital where he was revived.
Michelle Davio, a spokesperson for Alberta Justice and the solicitor general’s office says that Saretzky's injuries were not the result of an altercation at the jail.
Sources say the situation was 'horrific' and he is heavily medicated at the hospital where he is now being held, under an induced coma, in the ICU.
Sources also say that he is being monitored for possible brain damage that may have been suffered as a result of the suicide attempt.
Saretzky has been charged with two counts of first degree murder and one count of committing an indignity to a body in connection to the deaths of two-year-old Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette and her father Terry Blanchette
He had been scheduled to appear via CCTV for court proceedings on Wednesday from the Lethbridge Correctional Centre but he did not appear for the hearing.
Police arrested Saretzky after Terry Blanchette, 27, was found dead inside his Blairmore home on September 14. Blanchette’s two-year-old daughter Hailey was abducted from the home which led police on an exhaustive search.
Hailey's remains were found in a wooded area near the home of Carmellia Saretzky, Derek's aunt, in Crowsnest Pass.
Carmellia spoke with CTV on Wednesday, saying that their family is confused by the recent events and they are victims too.
"We're victims too," said Carmellia in an interview with CTV Lethbridge. "We are waiting for answers and we really don't have answers."
According to Carmellia, the Saretzky family has received death threats since Derek was identified and charged in connection to the Blairmore deaths. She hopes the public outrage towards her family will subside as Derek faces his charges in the court system.
“We just ask people to stop spreading hate towards Derek, towards us, towards anybody in any situation because it doesn’t help," said Carmellia. "Spreading hate only hurts you, it doesn’t hurt that person and Derek doesn’t see that. It hurts me to see those hate messages.”
“I’m his auntie. I don’t not love him because this happened, I’m confused with what’s happened.”
The family of Hailey and Terry have released a statement addressed to the Saretzky family:
"We need to tell you that we do not condone the vile and malicious epithets being directed at you. We find it abhorrent. It's important that you know we bear you no ill will. And, we pray that you too find the path away from this tragedy toward peace and understanding."
Shar Cartwright is the Deputy Mayor of Blairmore and says the tragedy touched everyone in the community.
“We brought in some grief counselling, people from all over southern Alberta and also from Calgary, and they specialize in helping communities with traumatic experiences and putting together some sense of normalcy back into the community.,” said Cartwright. “Last week was a very sad week and lots of people in the community will have that, how can you cope? As a community how can we cope? There’s resources out there that will help us through that.”
Saretzky's case has been adjourned until September 30.
(With files from CTV Lethbridge)