Guilty plea in toddler’s death

Three teens pleaded guilty to taking turns firing a gun at a home in Hobbema, accidentally killing a five-year-old boy asleep in his bed. Ethan Yellowbird was struck in the head by a bullet fired at the house on the Samson Cree First Nation on July 11, 2011. The teens — aged 13, 16 and 17 at the time — each pleaded guilty to manslaughter on Nov. 7 during what was to have been the first day of their youth court trial in Wetaskiwin. The oldest teen fired one shot above and over the house then passed the gun over. The other two each fired two shots at the house. It was one of those shots that killed Ethan. The teens face additional charges of aggravated assault and intentional discharge of a firearm, but Crown prosecutor Trent Wilson said those charges will probably be withdrawn. The Crown intends to seek the maximum youth sentence for manslaughter, two years in custody followed by one year of supervision. The oldest teen is out on bail while the other two remain in custody. Two months after Ethan’s death, his 23-year-old aunt, Chelsea Yellowbird, was shot outside the home next door. At the time, police said they believed the shooting was gang related. That case remains unsolved.