Allan Schoenborn: home where B.C. man killed his 3 children to be demolished

The Merritt, B.C., home where Allan Schoenborn stabbed and smothered his three children to death is to be demolished.

In 2010, Schoenborn was found not criminally responsible for the slayings of his children – Kaitlynne, 10, Max, 8, and Cordon, 5 – in April 2008 at the home of his estranged wife.

Merritt council voted to direct the owners of the now abandoned and uninhabitable structure to pull it down, giving them until March 15 to complete the work, otherwise the city will handle its demolition.

In the recommendation presented to council Tuesday, it was noted that the city has received many complaints about the dilapidated nature of the mobile home, and that attempts to have the owners deal with the eyesore have failed.

Development services manager Sean O'Flaherty said the town will be better with the building gone.

"Since the date of this tragedy, the property has remained vacant, has incurred significant damage to the interior and exists as an offensive stigma to the immediate neighbours and the whole community," he said.

Property owner asked for help

But Wayne Pyett, the property's owner says he has been trying for years to get government agencies to help him remove the structure.

"I've had a six-year battle trying to find an advocate in Canada from Stephen Harper's office, Christy Clark's office," he said."

"I have written to Health and Labour because it's blood and biochemical hazard, I guess is what you would call it, on the inside. This is a case in Canada of duck and run, and leave Wayne holding the bag."

Pyett said he's also asked Merritt to work with him to remove the home, to no avail.

The city is hoping to distance the demolition from the property's tragic history as much as possible, in an attempt to avoid reopening old wounds, Merritt CEO Allan Chabot, said.

For that reason, he said, the city declined further comment.