Teen who slew family wins escorted trips

Girl in custody at Alberta Hospital

Sherri Zickefoose and Keith Gerein, Calgary Herald; Edmonton Journal

Published: Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Canada's youngest multiple killer is now taking "baby steps" toward freedom after a judge changed her sentence from closed to open custody, allowing for escorted trips into the community.

As part of the 16-year-old's relaxed conditions, she will soon be allowed escorted walks around the grounds of Alberta Hospital, where she is being held, and eventually visits to banks and shopping malls.

All outings off hospital grounds must first be approved by the Solicitor General's office and will require two supervisors.

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The girl, who once called herself Runaway Devil online, appeared via closed-circuit television from Edmonton during an annual sentencing review Monday in Medicine Hat. She was flanked by her therapist and case worker, who said she is making progress.

The girl has been in custody since her arrest four years ago, and would benefit from outings into the community before the end of her youth sentence, court heard.

The girl was 12 when she and her 23-year-old lover slaughtered her parents and little brother inside their Medicine Hat home on April 23, 2006. She remains in Alberta Hospital undergoing an intensive rehabilitative custody and supervision sentence for two more years. She will spend four years after that in a group home. At age 22, she will be free.

The girl and her co-accused, Jeremy Steinke, were each found guilty on three counts of first-degree murder.

Justice Scott Brooker agreed to review the girl's progress every six months in light of her new freedoms. Her potential risk to the public is constantly assessed.

Although the girl is succeeding scholastically and gaining ground in therapy, "certain aspects of the report are troubling," said Crown prosecutor Ramona Robins, adding they concern the girl's interpretation of the facts surrounding her crime.

Save for recent visits with relatives, she has had almost no contact with the outside world, court heard.

Several visits with family that began this past summer are expected to continue.

"I think that was a bit of a milestone," said her psychologist.

The girl, who was once described as "seriously disturbed," is gaining ground, her defence lawyer said.

"She's a very different person now than she was then," said Katherin Beyak.

'THANK YOU'

When the judged asked the girl if she had anything to say, she responded: "Thank you for the opportunity."

"I'm satisfied the protection of the public is certainly being considered," said Brooker, adding that open custody will help the girl's ultimate successful reintegration into society.

The girl has had two previous sentencing reviews. At the time, it was said she showed a "failure to internalize"-- a term experts say generally means a lack of remorse.

Psychiatric pre-sentencing reports, which are sealed, described her in 2007 as suffering from oppositional defiance disorder and conduct disorder. Before therapy began, the girl suffered from dependency issues, anxiety and depression, and was prone to immature problem-solving and wishful fantasies.

She was given the maximum sentence allowed under the Youth Criminal Justice Act--six years in custody followed by four years of supervision.