Newly-released court documents suggest Kaden Young’s mother allegedly had a cocktail of drugs and alcohol in her system the night her toddler was swept away in the Grand River in February of 2018.
At the time of the incident, police said Michelle Hanson drove past a road closed sign in Amaranth Township. The van became stuck, and as Hanson tried to free her son from his car seat, they were swept into the river.
She was rescued along the banks of the river. His body was found after a two-month search.
While the criminal case is still before the courts, a child custody decision has shed more light on the police investigation.
According to documents from family court proceedings, the OPP toxicology screens showed that Hanson allegedly tested positive for Percocet, OxyContin, cocaine and alcohol.
The document also suggests that she allegedly denied being impaired at the time of Kaden’s death to Dufferin Children and Family Services.
Hanson was charged in October, facing charges of impaired driving causing death, dangerous driving causing death and criminal negligence causing death.
These allegations have not been proven in court.
She is due in court again on April 9.
