Your Sikhs today: Halifax NS edition - nothing to do with culture, shurely

First the facts, just the facts. Two people charged with concealing the body of a child and indignity to human remains appeared virtually in provincial court in Halifax NS today Monday. Sukhpreet Singh, 23, and his wife Ramandeep Kaur, 26, are also charged with resisting a peace officer and obstruction of justice. 

The Crown prosecutor, Paul Carver, told the court "The mother of the deceased newborn is currently in critical condition and unresponsive in the hospital." He asked for a three-day adjournment because of the "potential for additional very serious charges under these circumstances." Mr Singh and Ms Kaur remain in custody pending a bail hearing on Thursday.

The charges stem from an urgent search and investigation over the weekend for a missing newborn baby, whose remains were eventually found in a wooded area in the Goodwood NS region. Halifax Regional Police said they were first called at around 9:40 p.m. Friday about a woman in life-threatening condition who "appeared to have just given birth." 

An extensive search was launched by police and Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue, who combed the area around an apartment building in Halifax’s Clayton Park neighbourhood. That search continued overnight and through Saturday. Police said remains were discovered Sunday afternoon in a wooded area off Old Coach Road, 6 miles from the initial search site.

Constable Martin Cromwell told reporters today that the initial call was made through 911, although he couldn’t say who made the call. The woman was taken to hospital by ambulance from an apartment on Willett Street; however, the baby was not located. 

Four people, all known to the woman, were initially taken into custody for questioning. Halifax police said two were released and Mr Singh and Ms Kaur were charged. Mr Singh is described as a "relative of the woman."

An autopsy will be held to determine the cause and manner of death. PC Cromwell said it's unclear whether the baby was born alive. He said the woman's condition is still very serious, and investigators haven't been able to speak to her. 

Comment from Google AI: Sex-selective abortion is a deeply rooted practice driven by a strong cultural preference for sons. It remains an acute issue in parts of South Asia, such as India, and persists among certain diaspora communities in Western countries, resulting in skewed male-to-female birth ratios.

Further reading: "Over 23 million girls killed by sex-selective abortion", The Christian Institute, 21/5/19.