After three-and-a-half weeks of evidence and arguments, the fate of an accused child killer is now in the hands of a Regina jury.
Thirty-four-year-old Adam Cyr is on trial for second-degree murder in the June 2012 beating death of two-year-old Natalia Shingoose.
She was the daughter of the woman he was living with at the time.
The little girl died of multiple severe blows that broke six ribs, her collarbone and resulted in lacerations to her liver and lung.
The jury began its deliberations early this afternoon after receiving final instructions from Justice Fred Kovach.
There were two very different theories presented to the jury during the trial.
Prosecutors contend Cyr had exclusive opportunity to commit the crime, that he tampered with evidence, and that he came up with a cover story that the girl had fallen during the day in case her mother discovered the injuries when she got home from work.
The defence contends Cyr is innocent and did not, would not and could not harm the child. His lawyer suggested the real killer was a close friend of the girl’s mother, who showed up at the family home at about 3 am on the day Natalia was found dead in her bed.