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Esgenoôpetitj woman facing murder charge makes brief court appearance

New Brunswick RCMP major crime unit has been investigating the death of 34-year-old Christopher Dedam of Esgenoopetitj First Nation. (Gail Harding/CBC - image credit)
New Brunswick RCMP major crime unit has been investigating the death of 34-year-old Christopher Dedam of Esgenoopetitj First Nation. (Gail Harding/CBC - image credit)

A woman charged with second degree murder more than seven months after the death of a man in Esgenoôpetitj First Nation last year made a brief appearance in Miramichi provincial court Tuesday.

Nikita Dedam, 34, of Esgenoôpetitj First Nation appeared by video from the Nova Institution for Women in Nova Scotia.

Duty counsel lawyer Maude Woods told Judge Cameron Gunn that Dedam recently retained a lawyer, but she hasn't been able to talk to that lawyer yet. Woods requested an adjournment of two weeks so Dedam could speak with her lawyer.

Dedam is charged in connection with the death of 34-year-old Christopher Dedam of Esgenoôpetitj.

RCMP were called to the community about 38 kilometres northeast of Miramichi at 10:15 a.m. on Aug. 25, 2020. Police said the man was found dead at a home on Micmac Road. His death was ruled to be a homicide.

Police have previously said Nikita Dedam was arrested last summer, but she was only charged on April 1 this year. She has remained in custody since then.

Police haven't said whether the two were related to each other.

The judge granted the adjournment and she is scheduled to return to court April 27.