New mother dies after arriving at Halifax hospital last week without newborn: police

HALIFAX — Halifax police have confirmed the death of a young mother whose newborn was found dead in a wooded area last week.

The 23-year-old woman, who has not been identified, arrived last Friday night at a Halifax hospital in extremely poor health, having just given birth.

The woman’s baby, however, wasn’t with her, prompting a search that ended Sunday afternoon when the newborn’s remains were found southwest of the city’s downtown in the community of Goodwood.

Earlier this week, police said the mother had been in critical condition, and it remains unclear when she died.

The Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service has been called in to determine cause and manner of her death.

Meanwhile, the cause of the infant’s death has yet to be determined.

“Due to the complexity of this incident, it may take an extended period of time to determine the results for both the infant and the mother,” police said in a statement. “The police investigation remains ongoing.”

Two people are facing charges in the case.

Sukhpreet Singh, 23, and his 26-year-old wife Ramandeep Kaur have been charged with concealing the body of a child, obstructing a peace officer, causing an indignity to human remains and obstructing justice.

Halifax Regional Police have confirmed the mother is related to Sukhpreet Singh.

On Thursday, the two accused were scheduled to appear in court for a bail hearing. The hearing was adjourned until June 22 when each of them is expected to enter a plea. Both will remain in custody until then.

During Singh’s hearing, he was kept informed of the proceedings by a Punjabi interpreter. As for Kaur, a lawyer appeared on her behalf.

In all, four people known to the mother were initially taken into custody for questioning on the weekend, but two were released without charges.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 28, 2026.

Michael MacDonald, The Canadian Press