Teen girl pleads guilty to assault in death of homeless Toronto man

A teen girl charged in the death of a homeless man in downtown Toronto pleaded guilty Tuesday to assault causing bodily harm and assault with a weapon.

Eight girls between the ages of 13 and 16 were initially charged with second-degree murder in the December 2022 death of Kenneth Lee.

A judge recently committed six of the teens to stand trial on second-degree murder and two on the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Police have alleged Lee, who was 59 and living in the city's shelter system, died after he was swarmed and stabbed by a group of girls.

The girl who pleaded guilty Tuesday was 13 at the time of the incident. Court heard the weapon involved in one of the assault charges is a bag that belonged to Lee.

Another girl who was also 13 at the time pleaded guilty to manslaughter last week.

Three other girls are expected to plead guilty in the case — one to manslaughter and the others to charges that have not yet been specified before the court.

The remaining three will be tried by a jury in Superior Court. A trial date has not yet been set.

None of the accused can be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.