‘She was perfect’: Woman who cared for slain Manitoba infant wants justice

Manitoba RCMP announced Friday that they had launched a homicide investigation after identifying the remains of an infant found earlier this summer in the RM of Grahamdale.

The woman who looked after the victim, Xavia Skye Lynn Butler, in the first months of her short life says she wants to see justice done.

Natalie Anderson told Global Winnipeg she had made an arrangement with her cousin, Xavia’s mother, to look after the baby from the day she was born.

“I came to Winnipeg to the Women’s Hospital. The doctors and the nurses knew that I was taking the baby home,” Anderson said.

“It was like she was meant to be. Meant to be mine. She was perfect. I was really happy, excited, filled with so much love.”

After a move to Winkler with Xavia, Anderson said she had an unexpected visit from Child and Family Services in March of 2022, who told her the baby’s mother wanted Xavia back.

“I don’t know why she took her back… but because she’s the biological mom, (I felt) she deserved to be her mom, to try to raise her. I believe every mom deserves a chance to raise her child.”

Anderson said for a while, she continued to see Xavia regularly via video chats — but those began to happen less and less frequently, and, eventually, not at all. Then she heard that Xavia’s remains had been found.

“It’s traumatizing. I loved her. She was my little best friend.

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“It’s horrible, it’s awful, it’s not fair. She was an innocent baby, an innocent child. She deserves to be here still.”

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Anderson said she wants Xavia to have a voice, and for someone to be held responsible for her death, but she’s not confident it’ll happen quickly.

“As of right now, there’s no charges laid, they’re investigating. I’m hoping to hear something back. They found her June 3 and it took them five months just to identify her remains. How long is it going to take now to even lay charges?

“It’s going to be a long road ahead of us, a long road for justice for Xavia.”

Another cousin, Crystal Butler, told Global Winnipeg that while she didn’t get a chance to meet Xavia, knowing a family member — especially one so young — was murdered is “scarring”.

“I never got to meet her. She lived out of town… I heard a lot about her and I really wish I did get to meet her,” Butler said.

“Knowing something this tragic has happened in your family, and knowing it’s your cousin, someone you’re related to by blood… it’s unbelievable. I’m a mom too, and I can’t imagine that ever happening, or ever going through that.”

Butler said she’s also hoping police make an arrest in connection with Xavia’s death.

“I want justice for her. I really want somebody to be charged, because somebody is responsible for this. She didn’t end up there by herself.”

RCMP say they’re continuing to piece together a timeline as to where Xavia was last seen, in order to narrow down the time of her death, and have reached out to the public for photos and other information after March of 2022 — when she was taken from Anderson’s home.

Other organizations are calling for members of the public to come forward with any knowledge they may have, including the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, who called her death a “profound and senseless loss of young life” in a statement Monday.

“Children are a gift bestowed to us from the Creator; they are our most sacred responsibility,” the statement said.

“The discovery of little Xavia is both shocking and devastating, and the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs expects anyone with information about the circumstances around her death to contact the proper authorities.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the RCMP’s major crimes tip line at 431-489-8112.

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