A third Alberta resident is facing charges in a historical child-abuse investigation after new victims came forward to report offences while in a woman’s care in Quesnel and Whitecourt, Alta.
Nicole Barrett, 45, was arrested April 24 by police and faces several charges, including three counts of failure to provide necessities of life and one count of assault, Alberta RCMP’s serious crimes branch said Wednesday (May 1). Barrett has since been released on bail, with conditions that restrict contact with the victims.
Her next court appearance is set for May 28 at the Alberta Court of Justice in Whitecourt.
Barrett is the third person to face charges in the investigation. Sandy Beach, Alta. resident Sherina Maria Handsor, 43, and Fort McMurray resident Jimmy Allen Fransen, 51, already face several charges each.
Alberta RCMP first announced the charges against Handsor and Fransen on April 9, after a lengthy investigation into the allegations of physical and sexual child abuse in Edson, Alta. dating back between 2005 and 2011.
Handsor was charged with assault causing bodily harm, assault with a weapon, forcible confinement and failure to provide the necessaries of life.
Fransen was charged with sexual assault, sexual assault with a weapon, sexual interference with a child under the age of 16, sexual exploitation, making and possession of child pornography. His next court appearance is May 7 at the Alberta Court of Justice in Edson.
Alberta RCMP said Wednesday that five new victims came forward to report the historical child-abuse offences while in the care of Handsor in Quesnel and Whitecourt. From there, B.C. RCMP identified an additional two victims.
Police said that based on information received through the investigation, officers believe there may be other victims or people who may have additional information in Handsor and Barrett’s involvement.
Handsor now faces another 13 charges, including: seven counts of failure to provide the necessities of life, assault with a weapon, assault causing bodily harm, three counts of assault and two counts of administrating a noxious substance. She remains in custody, with her next court appearance set for May 1 at the Alberta Court of Justice in Stony Plain, Alta.
Following the initial arrest of Fransen, Alberta RCMP said its serious crimes branch received information about unrelated allegations of child sexual abuse in Fort McMurray between 2017 and 2023.
Fransen and 45-year-old Brenda Disher (also known as Brenda Fransen) were charged with: making, distribution and possession of child pornography, sexual assault, sexual interference involving a child, sexual exploitation and trafficking a person under the age of 18.
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