Karen and Krista Hart

NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR, CANADA

On August 4, 2002, Nelson Hart took his three-year-old twin daughters, Karen and Krista to play by Gander Lake. They both ended up in the water, and the decisions Nelson made in the aftermath baffled everyone—including the RCMP.

This is the shocking case of a murder investigation that forever changed the face of the Canadian justice system.

*Correction: An early version of Part 1 of this series relayed the information that Karen and Krista Hart had been cremated. Please note this is incorrect, they were buried in coffins.

Podcast Recommendation:

Voices for Justice - a true crime podcast hosted by Sarah Turney.

Casefile - Daniel Morecombe episode 54

Canadian True Crime donates monthly. This month we have donated to:
Black Lives Matter Canada

Credits: 

Research and writing: Emily G. Thompson and Eileen Macfarlane
Content advice: Aja Romano
Audio editing and production: We Talk of Dreams 
Sound design, additional research and writing: Kristi Lee
Disclaimer voiced by the host of True

 Music Credits:

Theme Song: We Talk of Dreams

Blue Dot Sessions: Sunset on Sandy Aisle, Gathering Stasis, Uncertain Ground, Dawn Line Approaching, Cover Letter, Darkened Treeline, Cold and Hard, Illa Villardo
Kai Engel - Cold War Echo, Denouement, Mercy
Kevin McLeod / Incompetech - Immersed, Bittersweet
Chris Zabriskie - Cylinder Two
Sergey Cherimisinov - Clouds, Our Future

Main Information Sources:

Court Documents:

https://www.canlii.org/en/nl/nlca/doc/2010/2010nlca33/2010nlca33.html?searchUrlHash=AAAAAQATIm5lbHNvbiBsbG95ZCBoYXJ0IgAAAAAB&resultIndex=1 

https://www.canlii.org/en/nl/nlca/doc/2012/2012nlca65/2012nlca65.html?searchUrlHash=AAAAAQATIm5lbHNvbiBsbG95ZCBoYXJ0IgAAAAAB&resultIndex=4

https://www.canlii.org/en/nl/nlsctd/doc/2006/2006nltd86/2006nltd86.html?searchUrlHash=AAAAAQATIm5lbHNvbiBsbG95ZCBoYXJ0IgAAAAAB&resultIndex=5

https://www.canlii.org/en/nl/nlca/doc/2006/2006nlca17/2006nlca17.html?searchUrlHash=AAAAAQATIm5lbHNvbiBsbG95ZCBoYXJ0IgAAAAAB&resultIndex=6

https://www.canlii.org/en/nl/nlca/doc/2011/2011nlca64/2011nlca64.html?searchUrlHash=AAAAAQATIm5lbHNvbiBsbG95ZCBoYXJ0IgAAAAAB&resultIndex=9

https://www.canlii.org/en/ca/scc/doc/2014/2014scc52/2014scc52.html?searchUrlHash=AAAAAQATIm5lbHNvbiBsbG95ZCBoYXJ0IgAAAAAB&resultIndex=11

https://www.canlii.org/en/nl/nlca/doc/2012/2012nlca61/2012nlca61.html?searchUrlHash=AAAAAQATIm5lbHNvbiBsbG95ZCBoYXJ0IgAAAAAB&resultIndex=13 

https://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/14301/index.do

https://www.scc-csc.ca/WebDocuments-DocumentsWeb/35049/FM030_Respondent_Nelson-Lloyd-Hart_Redacted.pdf 

Books and Notable Sources:
Mr. Big by Colleen Lewis and Jennifer Hicks 
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/a-mother-agonizes-over-her-daughters-deaths-at-the-hands-of-their-father/article20817367/

https://www.macleans.ca/politics/the-case-of-nelson-hart-2-girls-3-years-and-a-mystery-mr-big/ 

News Media:

Fort McMurray Today, 6 August, 2002 – “Three-Year-Old Drowns in Gander Lake, Twin Dying”

The Peterborough Examiner, 6 August, 2002 – “Three-Year-Old Drowns in Nfld.”

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89617642/

The Brockville Recorder and Times, 7 August, 2002 – “Dad May Be Charged in Twins’ Drowning”

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89617659/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89617706/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89617817/

The Kingstone Whig-Standard, 10 August, 2002 – “Town Bids Farewell to Twins”

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89618104/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89618074/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89629113/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89679829/

https://www.pressreader.com/canada/montreal-gazette/20070226/281749854892306

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89679854/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89680046/

Fort McMurray Today, 27 February, 2007 – “False Confession: Lawyer”

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89684361/

Associated Press, 28 February, 2007 – “BC-Canadian Briefs”

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89685218/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89685304/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89686302/

https://www.thestar.com/news/2007/02/28/murder_trial_told_of_sting.html

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89739064/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89739161/

The Daily Herald-Tribune, 1 March, 2007 – “Accused Says Fear of Water Kept Him From Saving Young Daughters”

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89746957/

https://www.pressreader.com/canada/toronto-star/20070307/281900178751124

Fort McMurray Today, 7 March, 2002 – “N.L. Man Accused of Killing Daughters Frantic After Accident: Wife”

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89747640/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89748472/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89752444/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89753077/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89754167/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89755498/

https://www.thestar.com/news/2007/03/12/mountie_outlines_sting_that_led_to_arrest_in_girls39_drownings.html

https://www.thestar.com/news/2007/03/08/relatives_describe_accused_as_fearful.html

https://www.thestar.com/news/2007/03/09/father_didnt_use_cellphone.html

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/accused-hinted-at-dark-past-murder-trial-told/article20394946/

https://www.thestar.com/news/2007/03/15/gander_man_tells_undercover_cops_he_pushed_daughters_into_lake_video.html

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/defence-rests-in-case-of-man-accused-of-drowning-children/article961616/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89793480/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89793562/

https://www.thestar.com/news/2007/03/30/police_lied_to_me_child_killer_says.html

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89793693/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89793798/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89793853/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89795594/

The Chronicle Herald, 27 October, 2012 – “Drowning Case Review Sought; Appeal Requested”

https://www.pressreader.com/canada/the-telegram-st-johns/20130801/281530813647399

https://www.pressreader.com/canada/waterloo-region-record/20140801/281582353769643

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89796708/

https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2014/07/31/mr-big-suspect-will-likely-go-free-lawyer/#.YaYvm9DP2Uk

https://www.pressreader.com/canada/the-western-star/20140814/281612418558809

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89797426/

https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/nelson-hart-found-guilty-of-threatening-prison-guard-1.2241276

https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/nelson-hart-sentenced-to-house-arrest-for-threatening-jail-guard-1.2455938

https://www.saltwire.com/newfoundland-labrador/news/there-could-be-big-plans-for-little-harbour-eco-friendly-development-ideas-being-examined-at-gander-lake-516743/

https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/holidays/supreme-court-of-canada-decision-goes-in-nelson-harts-favour-117340/ 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/nelson-hart-s-mother-still-on-his-side-1.1267525

https://globalnews.ca/news/1485774/despite-ruling-mr-big-tactic-a-must-expert/

https://www.ctvnews.ca/hot-topics/Tags/Nelson%20Hart

https://globalnews.ca/news/1486370/creator-of-mr-big-tactic-disappointed-in-supreme-court-decision/

https://globalnews.ca/tag/nelson-hart/

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/nelson-hart-sentenced-to-house-arrest-for-threatening-jail-guard-in-prison/article25313130/ 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mr-big-ruling-a-game-changer-for-those-convicted-in-sting-operations-1.2724310

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/nelson-hart-trial/article19911560/ 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/nelson-hart-swarmed-by-guards-in-cell-surveillance-video-shows-1.2963652 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/hart-asked-to-ditch-lawyer-mid-trial-1.657515

Other Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Harbour_(Gander_Lake)

https://fishbrain.com/fishing-waters/ivTC8pZ9/gander-lake

https://maytree.com/welfare-in-canada/newfoundland-and-labrador/ 

http://www.ccsd.ca/factsheets/fs_ncwpl01.htm