Accused double murderer Edward Downey released from hospital after suicide attempt

Accused double murderer Edward Downey was back in court Wednesday after a suicide attempt at the Calgary Remand Centre last week.

According to CBC News sources, Downey tried to hang himself after he was brought to Calgary from an undisclosed location ahead of a scheduled court appearance last Friday.

Paramedics were called to the Calgary Remand Centre last Friday just before 6 a.m. MT when staff found Downey in medical distress after trying to hang himself. He was taken to Foothills hospital and has since been released.

Court was adjourned Friday "to see how Mr. Downey was health-wise," Justice Beth Hughes of the Court of Queen's Bench.

"He's here, which is a good thing to see," she said on Wednesday.

Downey, 48, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of five-year-old Taliyah Marsman and her mother, Sara Baillie.

He was in court on Wednesday afternoon as lawyers dealt with scheduling issues ahead of his trial.

There was concern about Downey's trial going ahead on time because of a potential scheduling conflict for defence lawyer Gavin Wolch, who is about to begin another trial.

Hughes said Downey should expect his matter to proceed as scheduled.

"As far as I'm concerned, there is no basis to adjourn anything."

Mother, daughter killed

In July 2016, police were called to Baillie's home after she failed to show up for work. Officers discovered the 34-year-old's body in her basement apartment in the northwest community of Panorama Hills.

An Amber Alert was activated for the child when investigators realized she was missing. About a week later, Taliyah's body was discovered about eight kilometres east of Calgary near a rural road close to Chestermere.

Downey was known to both victims, according to police.

The jury trial, which is expected to last three weeks, is set to begin in November

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