SASKATOON — A woman convicted of killing two women in an impaired driving crash has been granted day parole, despite objections from the victims’ families.
Brittany Dawn Barry, 34, has been approved for placement at a community-based residential facility for six months, effective upon her eligibility for day parole.
In October 2024, Barry drove the wrong way on a divided highway while heavily intoxicated and collided head-on with an oncoming vehicle. The two occupants of the other vehicle, Jamie Hannah, 20, and her mom Laura Hannah, 53, both of Alberta, died at the scene. Barry's own young children, who were passengers, were injured with one child airlifted to hospital.
Barry's breath samples registered 190 and 210 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. She acknowledged to the parole board that she had become a “closet alcoholic” after losing her home to a fire earlier that year and that this wasn’t the first time she had driven impaired with her children in the vehicle.
According to the Aug. 11 decision, four victim impact statements were presented at the start of the parole hearing.
“Surviving family members feel that it is too soon for you to be released to the community and that you should be disentitled to any form of absences or conditional release based upon the severity of your crime,” read the documents.
The daughter, and sister, of the victims reports that she lives with depression and post-traumatic stress and feels that your punishment is not proportionate to the crime. Two victims requested that you have a no contact order and geographic restrictions to several communities and places of worship.
In March 2025, Barry was sentenced to nearly six years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of impaired driving causing death and impaired driving causing bodily harm. She was also ordered to provide a DNA sample for the National DNA Data Bank and received a seven-year driving prohibition.
The board cited Barry’s lack of a criminal record, acceptance of full responsibility, expressions of remorse, and intention to live in sobriety and be a mother as factors in their decision. She completed all assigned programs, including those targeting substance abuse, emotional regulation, parenting and self-management, and has participated in numerous escorted temporary absences without incident.
Correctional Service Canada (CSC) supported day parole to a community-based residential facility but opposed day parole to her family home.
The board concluded that day parole to a structured residential facility wouldn’t pose an undue risk to society and would allow gradual reintegration with supports for sobriety, counselling and community programming.
The board imposed strict conditions for her day parole including a ban on consuming, purchasing, or possessing alcohol, a ban on driving, no contact with victims’ family members, a geographic restriction barring her from being within 50 kilometres of a specified Alberta community, and mandatory participation in a treatment plan arranged by her parole officer.
ljoy@sasktoday.ca
