Teen's killer gets day parole extended

Woman who beat, drowned Reena Virk in 1997 is raising a family with her partner

The woman convicted of murdering teenager Reena Virk near Victoria 24 years ago will be allowed to continue her day parole.

The Parole Board of Canada has released another ruling on Kelly Ellard, who now goes by the name of Kerry Sim.

Sim, 38, is serving a life sentence for second-degree murder in the beating and drowning of Virk.

Her day parole conditions were expanded last year to allow her to live away from a residential facility for up to five days each week, and the parole board is continuing that order for another six months.

The board says her behaviour in federal custody improved over time. She became pregnant in 2016 during a private family visit and had another child in 2019 with the same partner, a former federal offender. The parole board noted on Thursday that Sim is experiencing financial problems at home because her partner has lost his job and is struggling with drug use. Earlier reports described him as “a positive support” and the relationship was considered stable. However, now it's considered “strained,” according to the board.

While the couple are still living together and are trying to “work it out,” the parole board notes Sim is under increased stress and anxiety.

Although the board has concerns about her stress and her spouse's drug use, it concluded that because she remains sober and continues to demonstrate “satisfactory stability as a mother,” day parole will be continued with conditions.

Those conditions include participating in one-on-one counselling and not to consume alcohol or drugs.

Sim was 15 when she and a group of teens beat Virk in 1997. She and an accomplice then followed the injured girl, beat her again, and drowned her in the Gorge Waterway near Victoria.