Teens given 3 years for manslaughter

Crown and defence lawyers in a Thunder Bay manslaughter trial say the case is heartbreaking for everyone involved.

Tuesday evening, two teenage girls were sentenced for the death of another girl in the bush near County Park.

Justice Dianne Pettit Baig imposed the three-year maximum sentence for manslaughter under the Youth Justice Act for each girl.

She said the goal is rehabilitation, so the teens will spend the next year in a secure youth facility, the second year in less restrictive custody and the final year under supervision in the community.

This will be in addition to the 22 months they served before the sentencing. 

The pair can't be identified because they are under 18 years old.

The two girls sitting in the prisoners' box were only 14 and 15 years old in September 2010, when they met up with a 16-year-old girl and consumed alcohol near a recreation trail by the Landmark Inn. 

All three became intoxicated.

The two defendants beat the 16-year-old girl and her body was found the next day.

Yesterday, her tearful parents spoke directly to the teens convicted of their daughter's death.  

Her mother said she hopes she can eventually forgive them. Her father said he now knows what it means to have a broken heart.

The Crown and defence agreed both young defendants' backgrounds were marred with tragedy.

They said one suffered significant abuse and the other likely has fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.  

Acting out can have tragic consequences

The case is not an indication that violent crimes committed by young girls are on the increase, an advocate for women in conflict with the law said.

Kim Pate of the Elizabeth Fry Societies of Canada, has studied the issue and said, when these kinds of incidents happen, it disturbs a community.

But the more marginalized young women are, the more they will act out, she noted.

"If they’re ‘racialized’ because they’re indigenous young women — and if they’ve experienced abuse themselves or neglect and are trying to fend for themselves — when they do act out … it’s tragic consequences," said Pate said.

Pate said the Elizabeth Fry Society offers counselling and support programs to help deter women from committing violent offences.