Minister ‘disappointed’ child killer at healing lodge
TORONTO — Ontario’s correctional services minister says he’s “shocked and disappointed” that a woman convicted in the 2009 murder of an eight-year-old girl has reportedly been transferred from prison to a healing lodge in Saskatchewan.
Michael Tibollo told the legislature on Tuesday that he will be speaking with federal officials about the decision involving Terri-Lynne McClintic.
McClintic pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in 2010 in the death of Tori Stafford in Woodstock, Ont., and was sentenced to life in prison with no parole for 25 years.
The London Free Press reports Tori’s grandmother as saying the Correctional Service of Canada notified her family of McClintic’s move to the Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge.
The lodge is run by the Correctional Service of Canada and is for offenders requiring a minimum-to-medium security level.
Tori’s father has expressed his frustration, saying on Facebook that McClintic gets her life back in multiple ways, but his family will never see Tori again.
Tibollo said such cases can have an impact on the public’s confidence in the correctional system.
“My ministry will continue to monitor this matter as it unfolds to see what we can do in this unfortunate situation ... and try to correct what has been done,” he said.
A spokesperson said in an email that the Correctional Service of Canada could not comment on the reported transfer due to the Privacy Act.
McClintic’s co-accused, Michael Rafferty, was sentenced to life in prison in 2012 for kidnapping, sexual assault causing bodily harm and first-degree murder in Tori’s death.