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The girl’s great-aunt and great-uncle are charged jointly with one count of failing to provide the necessaries of life between May 3, 2013, and Sept. 18, 2014.

Serenity was airlifted to an Edmonton hospital on Sept. 18, 2014, with head injuries, severe hypothermia, serious malnutrition, and anal and genital bruising. She died nine days later, after being removed from life support. She weighed less than 18 pounds.

“I’ve been waiting to hear those words for three years now,” said Serenity’s mother earlier on Friday. “There’s no way this should have been pushed to the back burner for so long. The evidence was in plain sight.”

Photo by supplied / Edmonton

She said the RCMP in the province where she now lives informed her of the charge on Thursday. While Serenity’s mother is happy a charge was laid, she is disappointed they are not more serious.

“It’s not enough. It’s definitely not enough in my eyes,” she said.

Serenity had been in foster care before she was placed with distant relatives over the objections of her mother. Those relatives were granted guardianship despite reports of abuse. Child welfare then closed Serenity’s file.

The Journal is not identifying the accused because Serenity has siblings who cannot be identified under Alberta’s child welfare legislation.

At a Friday news conference, police emphasized the complexity of the investigation involving multiple agencies.

“There is no doubt in my mind, and I’m sure yours as well, this is a very difficult time for the family and the community of Serenity,” said Chief Supt. George Stephenson of RCMP K Division. He said he couldn’t provide further details because the case is now before the court.