CANADA • Nouteme SIDIME, 13 ~ Longueuil QC

Quebec girl dies after allegedly struck by father
October 11, 2011


An apartment complex where a 13-year-old girl was allegedly struck on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2010, is shown in Longueuil, Que. in this undated photo.

A 13-year-old Quebec girl has died from injuries allegedly sustained after her 71-year-old father struck her, Longueuil police said Monday.

The girl died three days after she was injured.

"The father called 9-1-1 stating that his daughter was on the ground, he had hit her and she was unconscious with a bleeding nose," Const. Patrick Barriere told CTV Montreal.

She was taken to a Montreal hospital where she slipped into a coma, and died Saturday night.

Those who lived near the family were shocked by the girl's death.

"She was so polite and kind and soft, and now she's gone," said neighbour Linda Robert while fighting back tears. "Now she's gone and there's nothing we can do about it."

There was a steady stream of family and friends visiting the girl's family Monday, offering their condolences.

"We haven't slept," one woman said in French. "We've been too sad."

Robert said the girl had grown quiet in recent years.

"She didn't talk much," she said. "She came from the school and went right into the apartment. She didn't play outside."

Moussa Sidime has been charged with aggravated assault and will appear in court Tuesday, when authorities will decide if he should face additional charges.

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Father to face manslaughter rap for alleged lethal slaps
August 31, 2011


Nouteme Sidime, 13, (left) prior to her death in October 2010. Her father Moussa Sidime (in a court sketch, right) will be charged with manslaughter, it was decided Wednesday.

A judge ruled Wednesday morning at the Longueuil courthouse that there is enough evidence to try Moussa Sidime, 72, for manslaughter following an incident that led to the death of his daughter.

Sidime had initially been charged with aggravated assault causing death, but the charge was changed to manslaughter based on pathologist Dr. Andre Bourgeault's report, handed in at the preliminary hearing.

Sidime was arrested for allegedly striking his 13-year-old daughter in the face twice on Oct. 6, 2010, leading to her death.

After the incident Moussa Sideme told Longueuil police that he slapped his daughter on both sides of her face with an open hand when she mumbled a response after he admonished her for not mopping the kitchen floor properly.

"We're not talking a punch or anything, two open hand slaps in the face one on this cheek, one on the other cheek because she wouldn't do the chore of the kitchen correctly at all," said defence lawyer Marie-Josee Duhaime.

Noutene Sidime, a student at Jacques Rousseau High School, died of a cerebral hemorrhage, said Bourgeault, who was initially unable to establish the cause of death, but now believes the slaps were a factor.

He explained Wednesday that the teenager's cerebral hemorrhage was most probably caused by a rupture of a vertebral artery, likely due to the sharp movement of the girl's head either from the slaps, her reflex, or both.

"Most probably this is what happened, but it still hasn't been proven 100 per cent, so it's my turn now to have a counter expertise," said Duhaime.

Duhaime pointed to the fact that Bourgeault was unable to find the rupture during his examination and drew his conclusions based on the literature, and a process of elimination.

The pathology report, however, combined with the defendant's description of events was enough to call a trial.

"The judge said that we have enough proof because the defence admits we have enough proof," said Crown prosecutor Julie Beauchesne.

The accused will now stand trial in a case to be judged by a Quebec court judge rather than jury.


Sidimé family members sit at the courthouse in Longueuil, Que., Tuesday, October 12, 2010. The Montreal father of a teenage girl who died under mysterious circumstances will remain behind bars for now.The Crown says no new charges will be brought against the accused, Moussa Sidime, until an autopsy is completed on his daughter.

Moussa Sidime spent three weeks behind bars following the incident and was released on bail after a hearing at which two dozen family members showed up to support him. His wife told the judge that he had never hit his children before.

They were also in court Wednesday supporting the elderly man.

The defence said Sidime is distraught over his daughter's death.

"The father is devastated. He's 72… years old. That was his baby, evidently, and he says there's nothing worse, that's it for him. It's a life sentence for him whatever happens," said Duhaime.

Proceedings begin in November.

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