Ontario mother given 2-year conditional sentence in death of 3-year-old son swept into Grand River

The mother of Kaden Young, the three-year-old who drowned in the Grand River near Grand Valley in February 2018, has been sentenced for her role in his death.

Michelle Hanson, now 38, has been given a two-year conditional sentence, followed by one year probation and a three year driving prohibition.

Hanson pleaded guilty to criminal negligence in the operation of a motor vehicle causing death in November 2021.

Court heard that on Feb. 21, 2018, shortly after midnight, Hanson drove her minivan, with Kaden inside, around a road closure barrier on 10th Line in Amaranth, into flood waters.

The vehicle was swept into the river. Hanson lost her grip on her son.

Emergency services were able to pull Hanson from the river, but Kaden could not be found.

Family, friends and hundreds of volunteers spent weeks searching the Grand River. His body was recovered two months later, by the Belwood Bridge, about 13 kilometres downstream from where he went into the water.

“The loss of this smiling three-year-old that captured the hearts of the community following his death is a tragedy that this court’s sentencing today cannot remedy. His loss cannot be quantified,” Crown prosecutor Danielle Garbaty said in court during sentencing submissions.

Justice Gisele Miller accepted a joint submission by the Crown and defence for the two year conditional sentence. The first 18 months will involve house arrest with exceptions for specific and approved reasons. For the final six months, Hanson will be subject to a curfew. She will not be allowed to drive and will have to continue counselling for grief and substance abuse.

Hanson will then be on probation for one year, and a three year driving prohibition will also go into effect at that time.

Hanson declined to address the court directly, but her lawyer Hal Mattson spoke on her behalf, saying Hanson would like people to know she is not a demon.

“She’s the product of probably some poor choices by people along the way and she made some poor choices, but she’s not a demon, she’s doing everything she can to get herself on the right track.”

Mattson says Hanson also hopes the people who helped search for the child do not harden their hearts because of her actions.

When reading her sentencing decision, the judge noted that Hanson pleaded guilty and took responsibility for her son’s death, and that she is a first time offender who is already taking steps towards rehabilitation.

“There must be a penalty that must address the seriousness of the criminal behaviour and its tragic consequences. At the same time, no penalty imposed by this court will ever have the effect of punishing Michelle Hanson more than she has punished herself for her reckless actions, and will no doubt continue to punish herself for the rest of her life,” Justice Miller said.

The judge also noted the impact Kaden’s death has had on his immediate and extended family, and beyond.

“There has of course as well been a tremendous impact of Michelle Hanson’s actions on the community, not just the community of Grand Valley where this happened, but many communities along the Grand River where for many weeks hundreds of volunteers came out to assist in the search for Kaden’s body.”

In a victim impact statement read by the Crown in court, Kaden’s father, Cameron Young, described getting the call from emergency services about Kaden’s disappearance, and then spending 59 days being a part of that search for his son’s body.

“Those days were exhausting, emotionally and physically draining, and I struggled with the thought of wondering if I would ever be able to lay my son to rest where he deserved. I couldn’t stop until Kaden was brought home one last time,” Young wrote.

Young described having to identify Kaden’s body after it was found. He wrote that images of it come back to his mind whenever he drives by a bridge or near a river.

Young says he is focusing on his two other sons.

“I wake up every morning and remind myself Kaden would want me to be happy, us to be happy. He would want me to enjoy life just like we used to before he was so tragically taken from me.”