Choiceland teen sentenced to six years, eight months for killing mother

By Susan McNeil

CONTENT WARNING: The following story contains disturbing descriptions of violence.

A 14-year-old boy who killed his pregnant mother in Choiceland in 2021 has been handed a six-year, eight-month sentence.

The youth, whose name can’t be disclosed due to provisions under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was officially sentenced in a Nipawin courtroom on Friday.

Two years and eight months of the sentence will be in intensive rehab custody. He’ll then be under conditional supervision for the remaining four years.

While Judge Lloyd Stang gave consideration to the fact the teen has spent 433 days incarcerated already, the two-year, eight-month custodial portion of the sentence started on the day of sentencing, meaning he will be almost 18 when he is out of jail.

The four years in community supervision are not like parole. The teen will not be allowed to return to the Nipawin area and he will be closely monitored.

Stang pointed out that while the custodial portion of the sentence may seem lenient to some, he felt it was appropriate in order to consider the amount of time the boy spent in custody before sentencing.

The teen is considered a moderate risk for recidivism, according to pre-trial assessments and the nature of the IRCS sentence allows the staff at the youth facility to apply for more custodial time if they think he is at risk to reoffend.

On Sept. 24, 2021, the teen bludgeoned his 37-year-old mother, wrapped a USB cable around her neck, and then proceeded to choke her to death. He was just 13 years old at the time.

He previously pleaded guilty to second-degree murder after initially being charged with first-degree murder.

In December, around 10 family members of the deceased were on hand at the courthouse as discussions were had about an appropriate sentence. They shared their belief that the teen will most likely kill again.