In what the judge called one of the toughest decisions he乌鸦传媒檚 ever made, the Kelowna woman who fatally stabbed Eli Beauregard in June 2019, has avoided jail time.
Judge Gregory Korturbash sentenced the woman, who can乌鸦传媒檛 be named due to her being a minor at the time of the offence, to spend 24 months in an Intensive Rehabilitative Custody and Supervision (IRCS) program. She pleaded guilty to manslaughter in April.
乌鸦传媒淥ver the past month, I have agonized over what the appropriate sentence should be. As a parent, the thought of losing a child to such a senseless act is unimaginable,乌鸦传媒� Kortubash said while rendering his decision on Monday, July 12.
乌鸦传媒淲e have already lost one young person and we 乌鸦传媒� meaning all of us 乌鸦传媒� need to do what we can not to lose another.乌鸦传媒�
Under the IRCS program, the woman is subject to a number of conditions, including a six-month period in which she乌鸦传媒檚 not allowed to leave her home without permission from her youth worker. If she doesn乌鸦传媒檛 abide by the conditions of the program, she could be arrested and made to spend the entire sentence behind bars.
乌鸦传媒淲hen we don乌鸦传媒檛 provide those resources, kids fall through the cracks. That乌鸦传媒檚 what happened here乌鸦传媒� She tried to access resources many times and often they weren乌鸦传媒檛 available or not available until something like this happens, 乌鸦传媒� said the woman乌鸦传媒檚 defence lawyer Joe Killoran.
乌鸦传媒淚f something like and IRCS was available for one, or both or many of the kids on the streets, a lot of tragedies could be prevented.乌鸦传媒�
Through Korturbash乌鸦传媒檚 decision, the court heard both youths were living on the street in Kelowna when the young woman stabbed 16-year-old Beauregard twice in the arm, lacerating an artery and eventually causing his death, on June 29, 2019.
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The woman struggled with a number of mental health illnesses, including borderline personality disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, as well as substance and alcohol abuse. She was intoxicated at the time of the attack.
乌鸦传媒淯nlike most other teenagers, you were not well equipped to deal with or control your anger impulses that day. You乌鸦传媒檝e made very significant efforts to turn your life around,乌鸦传媒� Kortubash said, directly addressing the woman.
Since 2019, she has completed a substance use treatment program and is living on her own in another B.C. city.
Explaining the gravity of his decision, Korturbash left the young woman with some parting words.
乌鸦传媒淒on乌鸦传媒檛 let me down, ma乌鸦传媒檃m. Don乌鸦传媒檛 let Elijah down, don乌鸦传媒檛 let his parents down. There乌鸦传媒檚 a lot on your shoulders乌鸦传媒� You need to do your best, okay?乌鸦传媒�
As proceedings ended, Judge Gregory Koturbash addressed the woman directly: "Dont let me down, ma'am. Don't let Elijah down, don't let his parents down. There's a lot on your shoulders... You need to do your best, okay?"
乌鸦传媒� Michael Rodriguez (@MichaelRdrguez)
