WARNING: This story contains disturbing details of physical and sexual abuse and self-harm. Resources and supports can be found at the bottom of this story.
Nearly a year after a three-month-old P.E.I. baby died at the hands of her mother — a single parent with a cognitive disability who was struggling with her mental health — no investigatory body has announced an intention to look into the circumstances leading up to the infant’s death.
Winter Elizabeth Acorn was born in December 2024. She lived her short life in the care of her mother, Cassie Acorn. On March 16, 2025, Acorn struck her daughter’s head against the floor when she wouldn’t stop crying.
The infant was taken to hospital in Charlottetown, and later airlifted to Halifax where she was declared brain dead days later. The Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service concluded the cause of death was complications of blunt-force head trauma.
The infant was born in P.E.I., lived in P.E.I., sustained life-ending injuries in P.E.I. and entered the medical system at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown.
But according to the P.E.I. coroner’s office, it’s up to officials in Nova Scotia to launch an investigation into Winter’s death because she technically died off-Island.
“At this time, the P.E.I. Office of the Chief Coroner has not signaled intention to proceed with an inquest. Since the death occurred out of province, the primary investigative authority would be the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service and any further inquiries following the investigation would be in their jurisdiction,” provincial officials wrote in an email to CBC on Monday.
“The P.E.I. Office of the Chief Coroner retains a secondary investigative role if the circumstances leading to the death occurred on P.E.I., however, there is typically not duplication of inquiry/inquest processes in two jurisdictions.”
CBC News followed up with the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service, and officials said Thursday there were no plans to investigate the infant’s death further.
When CBC News shared that response with the P.E.I. Coroner’s Office, officials again reiterated that Nova Scotia would be the primary investigator and there were no plans to call an inquest on the Island.
Social services worked with the family, court heard
CBC News first asked the Office of the Chief Coroner if there would be an inquest into Winter’s death on April 10, 2025, the day after her mother turned herself into police and was charged.
The coroner’s office has in the past called inquests when children were killed to look at the circumstances that led to their death. A six-person jury then makes public recommendations to prevent future similar deaths.
There was an inquest into the death of four-year-old Nash Campbell in 2015 and nine-year old Olivia Rodd in 2021. Both died at the hands of their mothers in murder-suicide incidents.
But in spring 2025, officials said it was too early to determine if an inquest would be called into the circumstances that led to Winter’s death and they would not provide comment while the case was before the courts.
On Monday, Acorn was sentenced to a year in jail after pleading guilty to infanticide. Throughout the legal process, the court heard references to the various social service bodies and a case worker who interacted with the family.
As part of a psychiatric evaluation, Acorn said she felt P.E.I.’s Child Protection Services were going to take her children away. The psychiatrist later wrote that fear likely drove the struggling single mother to lie, including to medical professionals who were assessing her risk for post-partum depression.
The court also heard the pregnancy was the result of a sexual assault.
A biological father has never been identified in court and no charges have been laid. It is a different person than Acorn’s abusive ex-partner who spent time in jail for choking her in 2025.
Cassie Acorn’s lawyer hoped his client could avoid jail time altogether. But after deliberating for three weeks, the judge decided a jail sentence was in the public interest. CBC’s Nicola MacLeod reports.
CBC News has also reached out to the P.E.I. Department of Social Services and Seniors to ask if it has any plans to launch a review into how an infant in a family known by the department’s services could be left in the care of a parent who would go on to kill her.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Winter Acorn, and our thoughts remain with all those who are grieving this profound loss,” officials wrote in an email Thursday.
“The [department] remains committed to supporting all appropriate oversight processes. The Department has worked cooperatively with the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate, as required under the Child and Youth Advocate Act, and will continue to follow all legislative requirements in any review or investigation that the Advocate may choose to conduct.
“We are unable to comment further on the specifics at this time. Our focus remains on continuing to strengthen the systems that support children and families.”
Child and Youth Advocate undecided
Under P.E.I.’s Child and Youth Advocate Act, there is a duty to report when a child is seriously injured or dies, and the office has the authority to launch an investigation.
Child and Youth Advocate Marvin Bernstein told CBC News that Winter’s death was reported, but his office has not decided if it will investigate.
“My office is currently in the early stages of reviewing Winter’s death. This phase involves collecting and analyzing records and other relevant information relating to the provision of services to Winter and her family members prior to her death,” Bernstein wrote in an official statement to CBC News.
“I cannot decide at this early point in the review phase whether a full investigation is required and whether statutory conditions for investigation have been met.”
If an investigation were to be called, Bernstein said he has the legal power to order individuals to come in for interviews and produce records that are in their possession or control.
“An investigation by my office would result in publicly available findings and recommendations directed to relevant child and family-serving government departments and government-funded community organizations to prevent other children dying or sustaining serious injuries in similar circumstances,” he said.
Bernstein did announce its intention to investigate the death of Olivia Rodd in 2022, saying that while investigations are confidential, the office would make the findings public.
Three and a half years later, those findings have never been released.
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