Sentencing delayed for teen who killed baby

Jeffery Longman wonders how many more times he will have to sit in court before the girl who pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of his grandson will be sentenced.

The sentencing hearing for the teen, who was 16 years old last July when she was charged in connection with the death of six-week old Nikosis Jace Cantre, had been scheduled to begin on Tuesday. However, last week, the Crown and defence consented to adjourn the hearing because appointments had been set during that time for the teen to have a fetal alcohol syndrome assessment. A new sentencing hearing date was supposed to be chosen on Tuesday instead.

In Saskatoon provincial court on Tuesday, Longman watched as defence lawyer Cathy Bohachik was granted leave to withdraw as the girl’s lawyer. The case was adjourned to June 29, at which time the Crown indicated a new sentencing hearing date will be set.

“These are just delays to prolong, prolong, prolong it,” Longman said outside court. “How much longer do we have to wait and suffer the pain, the hurt, the frustrations? It’s a very tragic thing that happened to me and my family.”

On July 3, 2016, baby Nikosis was found unresponsive in a home on Waterloo Crescent in Saskatoon and was pronounced dead at Royal University Hospital.

Family members have said a girl who was wandering the streets was invited into their home the previous morning. The teen, who cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was charged with second-degree murder.

She pleaded guilty to the charge in October and has made around a half-dozen court appearances since then. The case was brought forward in April for the defence to request a neurological report, but the sentencing hearing date remained unchanged. This is the first time the sentencing hearing itself has been adjourned.

Bohachik indicated that her former client will be represented by defence lawyer Leslie Sullivan.