Meredith Borowiec appears in court in Calgary on March 26, 2013, in this court artist’s sketch.JANICE FLETCHER/The Canadian Press
A mother accused of killing two of her newborns and throwing them in the trash has been granted bail during a lengthy delay in her murder trial.
But Justice Peter McIntyre added one key condition in his decision Thursday to release Meredith Borowiec until her trial resumes Nov. 4.
She must use an IUD [intrauterine device] to prevent any further pregnancies while she returns home and lives with her long-time boyfriend.
Borowiec, who has been in custody for the past 18 months, showed no visible reaction as the judge ranted her bail.
The 31-year-old is charged with second-degree murder in the deaths of two newborns in 2008 and 2009. She was charged just over a year after a third child was found alive in a Dumpster in October, 2010. That prompted a lengthy police investigation.
She faces a second trial on an attempted murder charge related to the surviving child.
The murder trial was originally scheduled for six weeks, but lengthy arguments ate up the allotted time and forced a six-month adjournment.
Borowiec was first interviewed by police after the live baby was found in the trash bin.
In a second interview a year later, she told investigators that she had her first child in 2008 and didn't even look to see whether it was a boy or a girl after giving birth. She wrapped the infant in a towel and placed it in a garbage bag.
She admitted to a similar scenario in 2009 when she again gave birth into a toilet in her apartment, wrapped the child in a towel and dropped it into the bathroom garbage. She then walked out to a large bin and disposed of the baby.
Borowiec told the investigating officer she heard a noise "like a kitten" after the birth of her first child and, the following year, was aware the second child was alive as well.
She said her boyfriend was never aware that she was pregnant.
McIntyre ruled late last month that the video confessions were admissible as evidence and that her admissions were clearly voluntary.