By Patrick Burles - @PatrickBurles on Twitter

Sentencing Hearing Begins Thursday for David and Collet Stephan

Jun 22, 2016 | 5:34 PM

LETHBRIDGE – A two day sentencing hearing will get underway Thursday (June 23) morning for a couple, who were found guilty of failing to provide the necessaries of life for their todler.

Ezekiel Stephan was just 18-months old when he died as a result of untreated bacterial meningitis in March of 2012.

The parents were found guilty on April 26, following a lengthy jury trial that spanned over nearly two months.

The Crown’s argument had been that the Stephans waited too long to get medical care for Ezekiel, and that by taking him to a doctor they could have been saved him from bacterial meningitis.

The defence mounted an argument that Ezekiel didn’t have bacterial meningitis, but rather the less serious viral form of the illness. They placed the blame on the ambulance that was sent to help him.

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While there is no minimum penalty for failing to provide the necessities of life, the maximum is set at five years in prison.