A nurse accused of killing eight people in long-term care homes in Woodstock and London made a brief court appearance on Wednesday.
Aside from stating her name, the only words 49-year-old Elizabeth Wettlaufer uttered during the minute long appearance were "that's it?" She expressed surprise at how quickly the much anticipated court appearance was over.
Wettlaufer appeared via video link from the Vanier Centre for Women in Milton.
Her defence laywer, Brad Burgess, told the court he had met with the Crown and had received some evidence disclosure with more to come. The case was then put over until November 18.
When questioned by reporters outside of the courthouse, Burgess had nothing else to add.
"It would be inappropriate for me to comment anywhere but inside a courtroom," Burgess said.
But the daughter of 84-year-old James Silcox, who died at Caressant Care in Woodstock, spoke at length with the media following the short court appearance. Clutching her father's Bible, Andrea Silcox (pictured below), 54, said she really didn't get any feeling for Wettlaufer from the brief appearance.
"What's happened has happened and I can't bring my dad back but there is no sense being angry. It isn't going to get me anywhere except ulcers," said Silcox.
She went on to explain that she had her suspicions about her father's death on August 17, 2007.
"My father was only in the facility for, in total, eight days and that just didn't seem right to me," said Silcox. "My father was a good strong man. Because I work in long term care myself, it just didn't seem right."
Silcox's father was a veteran of the Second World War. He had diabetes, a bit of dementia, and was transferred from the Woodstock General Hospital to Caressant Care after being treated for a broken hip.
After his death, a request by the family for an autopsy was shot down by the coroner.
"I asked my sister, who is POA (power of attorney), about an autopsy and she asked the coroner about an autopsy and was denied," said Silcox. "My sister... said that the coroner said 'he lived in long term care, he was 85-years-old, why bother?'"
Silcox promised she will be at all of Wettlaufer's court appearances.
Wettlauffer was charged on October 25 with eight counts of first degree murder in the deaths of seven residents of Caressant Care in Woodstock, and one resident of Meadow Park nursing home in London. The eight residents ranged in age from 75-96 and died between 2007-2014.
Andrea Silcox, daughter of James Silcox, holds a Bible that belonged to her father after a court appearance by Elizabeth Wettlaufer in Woodstock, November 2, 2016. (Photo by Miranda Chant, Blackburn News.)