SASKATOON — A Saskatoon teen who set her classmate on fire at school received the maximum three-year sentence under the Youth Criminal Justice Act following a court ruling Monday.
Justice Krista Zerr sentenced the teen on two attempted murder charges in connection with what she did to the victim and for causing serious bodily harm to the teacher who intervened.
Zerr delivered the sentence on Monday, March 16, at the Court of King’s Bench after two weeks during which she reviewed all victim-impact statements submitted following the original sentencing hearing on Feb. 26.
The teen, who appeared to be restless while sitting in the accused's box, stood up after Zerr asked her to do so and listened intently to the decision. She was handcuffed and taken into custody afterward.
Zerr said she acknowledged the harm caused to the victims, noting the emotional, psychological and life-changing effects described in the victim impact statements.
The judge said that, given the seriousness of the violent offences, the offender must learn the importance of accountability and honesty, with rehabilitation as a way to help her condition.
She said that, as per assessments done by psychiatrists and psychologists, the offender suffers from several mental health conditions and the judge ruled she must undergo a comprehensive rehabilitation program.
Zerr, who based her decision on all the legal requirements under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, said that an intensive treatment and supervision plan could reduce the risk of future violence.
She sentenced the teen to two years in custody followed by one year of community supervision. The sentence was in addition to the 558 days the teen has already served.
The sentence includes intensive rehabilitative custody, mental health treatment and strict supervision conditions. The offender is also prohibited from possessing weapons and must provide a DNA sample.
The court imposed an intensive rehabilitative custody and supervision sentence, focusing on treatment, rehabilitation and supervision.
This type of sentence involves a structured plan tailored to the offender, addressing underlying factors and reducing the risk of re-offending.
The judge added that the sentence will be reviewed after one year, stressing that rehabilitation, honesty in treatment and careful supervision will be critical for the teen to move forward with her life.
The decision came more than two years after the incident, in which the teen poured flammable material on the victim during a lunch break at Evan Hardy Collegiate on Sept. 5, 2024.
The teen, who was 14 years old at the time, was charged with attempted murder and pleaded guilty. She apologized for the harm she caused when the judge was scheduled to deliver her sentence last month.
Joint position
Crown prosecutor Zachary Huywan said that Zerr’s decision followed the joint recommendation from the Crown and the defence to impose the maximum sentence under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
The Crown previously considered sentencing the attacker as an adult, which would carry a more severe penalty, but did not pursue it further.
“In the circumstances, it was, from our perspective, an appropriate disposition as it is the maximum. It reflects the severity of the offence, the impact it had on the victim, and the broader community,” Huywan told reporters afterward.
“In so doing, we wanted to keep in mind that level of severity, and so a maximum sentence as allowable under the Youth Criminal Justice Act was the appropriate disposition in the circumstance.”
He added that the victim’s family was disappointed but said they understood the decision had been reached after careful legal assessment.
Huywan said the important thing is that rehabilitation is the central goal of the youth justice system, recognizing that youth offenders are still developing and can change with proper intervention.
The offender will undergo ongoing evaluation, and the court is expected to review progress after about a year. The Crown will also receive updates and other progress reports on the treatment process.
Victim’s family statement
The mother, who preferred not to be named since those involved are all minors, of one of the victim’s best friends read a statement from her family saying that, despite being disappointed with the short sentence given to the offender, they are relieved the process is over.
“We hope the offender gets the rehabilitation she needs. We hope we can trust the IRCS program to hold the offender until she no longer poses a threat to anyone and not one day sooner,” said the mother, who also works as an educational assistant.
“We can now just focus on our family. We have room to breathe and to move on, helping our daughter to continue on her healing journey. We did everything we thought we could to prevent this tragedy. No one should have gotten hurt.”
She added, based on her experience working as an EA, that she hopes the Saskatoon Public Schools Division improves training for school staff, saying safety checks alone will not solve the growing problem of violence in schools.
“The need for change is urgent. Until this government and the school division provide proper attention and resources to understanding the frequency and magnitude of the violence in our schools, events like this will continue,” she said.
She added that violent situations for students, teachers and EAs are occurring every day, noting she was once threatened with a pair of scissors by a student.
