Underage knife-assault suspect released
13-year-old girl accused of assaulting worker at Fredericton group home was returned to the facility Friday, but social workers plan to move her to dedicated residence
The Crown has withdrawn its objection to the release of a 13-year-old girl accused of assaulting a member of the staff at her Fredericton group home.
The teenager was charged May 2 with assaulting a female staff member of the group home with a knife, attempting to steal that group-home worker’s car and damaging a window at the facility, all alleged to have occurred the day before.
The Youth Criminal Justice Act prohibits the publication of any information that would tend to identify underage defendants. As such, the Fredericton Independent isn’t identifying the group home in question or the complainant so as to protect the 13-year-old’s identity.
The prosecution objected to the girl’s release Tuesday, and her bail hearing was set over to Friday. But at that time, prosecutor Rodney Jordan said the Crown had changed its position.
“The Crown believes there is now a sufficient plan in place that the Crown can now remove its objection to release,” he said.
The prosecutor said among the conditions of her release order should be that she returns to reside at the same group home and follow its written rules.
“I just want to be clear - that’s where she’ll be residing for now,” he said.
The girl is a ward of the province, in the care of the Department of Social Development.
Jordan said while the girl will return to the group home for now, social workers are arranging to secure a new residence for the girl - a home in which she’d be the only child resident, with a staff tending to her care and hers alone.
He said it would likely take a few months to get that new, dedicated home secured and set up.
The child agreed to follow the conditions as outlined by the prosecutor.
Youth court Judge Cameron Gunn told her that the rules she must follow aren’t just those of the group home, but of the court, and there can be more serious consequences for disobeying a court order.
The judge set the case over to May 24 for pleas.
Gunn urged the young defendant to apply for legal aid in the meantime.
“You’re 13 years old and you’re in a serious situation, and I want to make sure you’re making the right decisions,” he told her.
The teen told the court she planned on seeking counsel as suggested.
Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.
So she is returning to same home every thing has happened and same staff,very smart move lol haha
Catch and release