NORTH BATTLEFORD – A Poundmaker First Nation woman was sentenced on Thursday to eight years in prison in the death of 32-year-old Kaylee Crookedneck from Ministikwan Lake Cree Nation.
Kiara Mooswa, 21, was handed 2,920, days in prison on a manslaughter charge. She was credited with 344 days remand credit.
Mooswa was also ordered to provide her DNA to the National DNA Data Bank and prohibited from owning firearms for life.
Mooswa’s co-accused, 34-year-old Janine Wapass from North Battleford, is back in provincial court April 24 for case management. She is also charged with manslaughter in Crookedneck’s death.
On June 16, 2023, just after 11 p.m., North Battleford RCMP responded to a report of an injured person outside a home on the 1400 block of 114th Street in North Battleford. RCMP officers arrived and provided initial medical assistance prior to EMS arriving, but Crookedneck died at the scene.
Crookedneck was born in Loon Lake, according to her obituary.
She enjoyed cooking for her children and was always trying new recipes. She was always busy keeping her children entertained with crafts, cooking or exploring on walks to the park or going for bike rides. They were her whole reason for being and would do anything for them, continued her obituary.
Crookedneck, or Kah peh nekan nepowit iskwew, was learning and embracing her traditional cultural ways and was overjoyed when she and her children received their traditional names.
“Kaylee had an amazing sense of humour that she and her siblings all shared, when they all got together they were always laughing, joking or roasting each other,” said her obituary. “She was a very empathetic and loving person and would always give more than what she (could) afford to help out anyone who needed it, as that is how she was a person."
Crookedneck’s wake and service were held on Onion Lake Cree Nation in June 2023.
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