Manitoba·NewA Winnipeg mother on trial after her infant daughter died with methamphetamine in her bloodstream in 2022 testified she’s never used the drug, despite test results that court heard found traces of it in her hair.Alison Muise, 42, testified Friday during her provincial court trialCaitlyn Gowriluk · CBC News · Posted: Sep 05, 2025 7:27 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 minutes agoA toxicology report submitted to court found three baby bottles seized from the home after the infant died tested positive for methamphetamine. (Manitoba Courts)A Winnipeg mother on trial after her infant daughter died with methamphetamine in her bloodstream in 2022 testified Friday she’s never used the drug before, despite test results that court heard found traces of it in her hair.Alison Muise, 42, is charged with failing to provide the necessaries of life after her unresponsive three-month-old was rushed to hospital and died in February 2022. A police officer who testified at her trial this week described the conditions in Muise’s home, which had garbage and drug paraphernalia scattered around in photos submitted to court, as “heartbreaking,” while another witness painted a picture of chaos, violence and frequent drug use leading up to the infant’s death.A toxicology report submitted to court also found three baby bottles seized from the home after the infant died tested positive for methamphetamine. Crown attorney Jennifer Malabar suggested during cross-examination Friday Muise was addicted to the drug before the baby, Layla Mattern-Muise, was born, and that she continued to use it after the birth and after the infant died — all of which Muise denied.”You’re asking this court to find, or to believe, that you never have smoked methamphetamine in your whole life?” Malabar asked her before provincial court Judge Michelle Bright.”I have not,” Muise replied.Photos submitted as evidence showed garbage and drug paraphernalia scattered around Muise’s home. (Manitoba Courts)Malabar later noted Muise tested positive for meth twice following the baby’s death.”Did that surprise you?” Malabar asked her. “Absolutely,” Muise said.”Because you’ve never done meth,” Malabar said, and Muise agreed.The baby’s father, Christopher Mattern, previously pleaded guilty to the same charge Muise faces and was sentenced last month to 21 months time served, plus two years of probation.The infant previously could not be identified because of a publication ban, which was lifted following a request from the Crown on Thursday. Muise, who at times spoke through tears as she was asked questions about her daughter, said she was “shocked and absolutely embarrassed” when she saw the photos of her home submitted to court, and that it looked worse in the pictures than it typically did.She said a window that was open when police arrived at the home on a cold February day might have been that way because Mattern had opened it to call for help after the parents found their daughter unresponsive.Muise also said testimony heard earlier in her trial from a witness who described common use of methamphetamine and other drugs at the home, including by the baby’s parents, was false.Her judge-alone trial is expected to continue with arguments from lawyers at a later date.Winnipeg mother whose baby died with meth in bloodstream testifies she never used the drugA Winnipeg woman on trial after her three-month-old daughter died with meth in her bloodstream in 2022 said she’s never used the drug before, despite test results that court heard found traces of it in her hair.ABOUT THE AUTHORCaitlyn Gowriluk has been writing for CBC Manitoba since 2019. Her work has also appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press, and in 2021 she was part of an award-winning team recognized by the Radio Television Digital News Association for its breaking news coverage of COVID-19 vaccines. Get in touch with her at caitlyn.gowriluk@cbc.ca.Follow Caitlyn Gowriluk on X
Winnipeg mother whose baby died with meth in bloodstream testifies she never used drug
