Teen who slew family wins escorted trips

Girl in custody at Alberta Hospital

By Sherri Zickefoose and Keith Gerein,
Calgary Herald; Edmonton Journal
November 3, 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.

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.

Steinke, 26, was sentenced last December to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years.

After their arrest for the murders, the girl and Steinke exchanged jailhouse love letters in which they agreed to marry. The relationship crumbled when they began to blame each other.

Since she was sentenced under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the girl is entitled to an opportunity for rehabilitation, said Pat Yuzwenko, a local youth justice lawyer. As such, supervised visits into the community are a necessary part of the process of helping the girl to eventually lead a productive life.

"At some point, she is going back into society," Yuzwenko said. "So, do you want her locked up for four-plus years and then suddenly dumped on the street and it's 'Good luck.'Or do we want to make sure she's got the tools to get back into the community?"

Some concern from the public is understandable, considering the horrific nature of the killings and the fact just three and half years have passed, said Heidi Illingworth, executive director of the Ottawa-based Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime

"You have someone who's committed unspeakable acts coming back into society, and I'm sure people are questioning how much treatment has there been and how beneficial has it been in three to four years," she said. "But I guess you have to look at the experts evaluating her, psychiatrists and others, who feel it's the right time to begin the process.

"Our concern first and foremost is always public safety, so we're happy it's escorted passes and it will be a gradual release process."

TRUST THE STAFF

Michael Chettleburgh, a Torontobased criminal justice expert, said the public needs to trust that staff evaluating the girl know what they are doing.

"One thing people don't realize when it comes young offenders is that the brain of child doesn't fully develop until they are 15 or 16, including the areas of the brain required for decision making. So a lot has changed over the last three or four years for this young person.

"Is there a chance for reoffending? Sure, but I think society has to keep their fears in check. It's not like the average person has anything to fear as a result of this person being released."

© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journal

March 10, 2010