Teen who lit classmate on fire in Saskatoon returns to court for sentencing
CBC
The sentencing hearing for a teen who lit her classmate on fire at Evan Hardy Collegiate a year and a half ago is scheduled to happen Thursday.
Both the accused and the victim can't be named under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act. At the time, the accused was 14 and the victim was 15. Both are 16 years old now.
The case dates back to Sept. 5, 2024, on the second day of school that fall.
The accused brought a water bottle to school that was filled with gasoline. When the lunch bell rang and the hallway filled with students, the teen poured the gas over the victim's head and lit it on fire.
The girl suffered burns to 40 per cent of her body and spent months in hospital, but survived.
A teacher who jumped in to smother the flames was also burned.
In December, the accused pleaded guilty to attempted murder of the teen and unlawfully causing bodily harm to the teacher.
Sentencing was adjourned until Thursday in Saskatoon Court of King's Bench so a psychological assessment and pre-sentence report could be prepared as part of the sentence proposal that will be made to Justice Krista Zerr.
The Crown and defence said in December they anticipate recommending an Intensive Rehabilitation and Custody Supervision (IRCS) order. It's a specialized sentence available under the Youth Criminal Justice Act for serious crimes.
On a charge of attempted murder, the maximum IRCS sentence allowable is three years from the date of sentencing, consisting of a period of custody followed by community supervision.
The accused in this case has been in custody since her arrest in September 2024.
In December, Zerr said it was likely that the sentencing hearing could take most of a day to complete, as a "large number" of victim impact statements are expected to be read in court.
After the accused pleaded guilty, a family member read a prepared statement written by the girl's parents.
"The horror of what has happened will never disappear," she said. "Our daughter will always wear the evidence of these crimes."
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