Stepmother found guilty of second-degree murder in death of Granby girl
WARNING: This story contains details some may find distressing
A 38-year-old woman charged with second-degree murder in the death of her seven-year-old stepdaughter in Granby has been found guilty.
On Wednesday afternoon, a jury in Trois-Rivières found the woman guilty of second-degree murder and forcible confinement, opting against a conviction for a lesser charge of manslaughter, an option Judge Louis Dionne had given to it.
The decision came extremely quickly for a murder case; the jury took only five hours to reach a unanimous verdict.
The girl died in April 2019 after her stepmother wrapped her in layers of adhesive tape to tie her down overnight, the court heard during the trial. The stepmother testified that she was trying to prevent the girl from escaping, also admitting that she tied her up from head to toe.
The child was found unresponsive in the morning and was pronounced dead the following day in the hospital.
The woman faces an automatic life sentence, though a later sentencing hearing will determine when she will be eligible for parole, which could be anywhere from 10 to 25 years, said Crown prosecutor Claude Robitaille.
The case rocked the province of Quebec before the details became public knowledge. It was in the wake of this tragedy that the Legault government set up the Laurent Commission to review the entire youth protection system in Quebec.
The trial was transferred to the Trois-Rivières courthouse in order to select a jury further away from where the crime took place.
Many elements of this trial, including the woman and the girl's identities, could not be disclosed to the general public because of a publication ban issued by the court. It will remain in effect until at least January 2022.
With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Testifying in hush money trial, adult film actor Stormy Daniels describes first meeting Trump
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential election 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
Security guard shot, seriously injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.
Katy Perry's mom was fooled by AI images of the singer at the Met Gala
Katy Perry did not attend the Met Gala on Monday, but some of the singer’s fans – and even her mom – thought she did.