'We never got no detailed help': Nicholas Layman's family says they're victims too

The family of Nicholas Layman, who is charged with attempted murder after a boy was stabbed on a Topsail soccer field, says it reached out for help before the stabbing, but got none.

• Crown agrees Nicholas Layman not criminally responsible for Topsail stabbing
• Nicholas Layman's family: 'That's not our child'

"We could see he was getting sick. We knew he was getting worse. We knew he wasn't taking his medication." said Doreen Layman, interviewed Wednesday outside provincial court in St. John's, where her stepson is on trial.

"We never got no detailed help. We were always told he's 19 … we can't do nothing 'til he's done something. Well guess what? He's done something," said Layman.

"If somebody is sick and their family is calling and needing help, then we should get our answers, not after something happens."

Hearing voices

Nicholas Layman, 20, had been hospitalized with schizophrenia before the stabbing in 2014.

At the time of the attack, he was hearing voices that told him to attack the 11-year-old boy.

Dr. Jasbir Gill, a psychiatrist with Eastern Health, told the court that in Layman's psychotic state, it may have been difficult for him to resist doing what he was told.

"He was hearing voices through radio and TV," Gill testified.

"A person hearing these voices can feel compelled to do what they are told to do. They can feel like they don't have a choice." 

Lawyers for the defence and the Crown have agreed Layman is not criminally responsible.

Judge Colin Flynn will rule Jan. 20 on a joint submission.

'Many victims'

Layman's family said there are many victims in this case, including them.

"Our main aim is that Nicholas finally gets the help that he needed, because we were turned down in the very beginning," said Doreen Layman.

"Unfortunately our system is not very proactive, and that's why we are in this situation today," she added. "I hope the new government will decide to finally do something about this."

A new Waterford Hospital is needed, she said, but that's not all.

"In the long run we'd like to see a lot of changes in our health care system to help people who are really sick before anything major happens, so nobody has to go through this again."

Layman's father, Scott, said even though the Waterford "is not a proper facility" he's happy his son is not behind bars.

"We know there's a crime committed. We just want him to get the help that he needs, hopefully to stop this from happening to another family because it is not nice."