Ada Guan, who was convicted of manslaughter in the tragic death of her five-year-old daughter, Chloe Guan-Branch, in Ottawa, is currently the subject of a Canada-wide warrant for repeatedly failing to attend court hearings leading up to her sentencing.
Chloe Guan-Branch was discovered deceased in her bedroom in May 2020, shortly after her fifth birthday, following a period of neglect and abuse. She had sustained a severe bladder injury a week prior but did not receive medical attention.
Ada Guan’s partner, Justin Cassie-Berube, was also found guilty in connection with Chloe’s death. He was convicted of criminal negligence causing death, failure to provide essential care, bodily harm, and assault, receiving a 14-year prison sentence.
Following her guilty plea to manslaughter in Superior Court, Ada Guan acknowledged her failure as a mother to provide necessary care to her daughter when she was in distress and required assistance.
Despite an initial expectation of a sentencing hearing shortly after her plea in August 2024, delays ensued. The defense sought a report on the impact of intimate partner violence experienced by Guan from Cassie-Berube, leading to postponements of the sentencing process.
After multiple delays and missed court appearances, a Canada-wide bench warrant was issued for Ada Guan’s arrest. Her lawyer expressed difficulty in reaching Guan and her absence from court since late June, prompting the warrant.
Chloe Guan-Branch’s birth in 2015 during a flight from Vancouver to Japan garnered international attention. She was removed from her parents’ care in B.C. at three months old and was only returned to Ada Guan three years later. Tragically, by May 2020, Chloe was residing with Guan and Cassie-Berube in Ottawa, where she suffered fatal injuries leading to her untimely death.
Both Guan and Cassie-Berube faced charges of manslaughter, criminal negligence causing death, and other offenses following Chloe’s passing, with both being released on bail pending legal proceedings.
