Toronto Teen Sentenced for 2022 Swarming Death of Homeless Man, Reports Reuters

TORONTO (Reuters) – A teenage girl, one of eight charged in the 2022 swarming death of a homeless man in Toronto, was sentenced on Monday but will not serve additional time in jail.

The girl, who was 13 at the time of the incident, is the first among her peers to be sentenced. She pleaded guilty to manslaughter and is protected from being named under Canada’s Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Instead of further incarceration, she will be on probation for 15 months, in addition to the equivalent of 15 months already spent in custody. The judge has mandated her participation in an intensive treatment program.

Authorities reported that the group of girls, aged 13 to 16, attacked 59-year-old Kenneth Lee, a homeless man, in downtown Toronto late in 2022, overwhelming and fatally stabbing him.

Her lawyer, Leo Adler, expressed that she is deeply remorseful for her actions.

In deciding her sentence, the judge considered the 93 days she had already spent in a restrictive custody setting against the court’s direction and the improper treatment she endured, including repeated strip searches.

Adler noted that the sentence aligns with what he sought and deemed it appropriate. He emphasized that the judge recognized her potential and the very low risk of her re-offending.

He remarked on the tragic nature of the incident, asserting that his client did not intend to take someone’s life that night.

Adler further highlighted the differences in how young individuals are treated under the law compared to adults, emphasizing their developmental state and cognitive differences.