The family of murder victim Nina Courtepatte said they are outraged by the judge's decision Wednesday to not sentence one of her killers as an adult.
"More heartaches... more pain," said Courtepatte's mother Peacha Atkinson Wednesday.
13-year-old Courtepatte was raped and murdered in April 2005, on a golf course west of Edmonton.
The woman, now nearly 20-years-old and known as "Buffy", was found guilty of second-degree murder and
aggravated sexual assault in youth court. She was 16-years-old at the time of the killing and can't be named due to
provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
The judge said in court the woman will be sentenced as a youth. Justice Adam Germain called his decision an "unenviable task".
He said the woman had a lesser involvement in the crime, she was the most young and immature of the group and did not take part in the planning of the offence. The judge also said she has made attempts to better herself while behind bars.
He also noted that she has expressed remorse and empathy for the victim. The woman has been at the Calgary Youth Offender Centre for four years.
Her father said he takes blame for her poor actions.
"I'll carry this with me forever. I feel so responsible for it," he said. "It's easy for older people to manipulate young kids, it's very simple. Maybe there's a good lesson to be taught here to keep an eye on our children a little closer."
A maximum sentence of seven years for a murder charge can be imposed under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. The judge alluded to the fact that he will likely go with the higher end of the sentencing sale and not give the young offender any credit for time already served.
The sentencing and reading of victim impact statements will be set for this Friday.
Four other people were charged in the Courtepatte case. Two of them, who were youth at the time of killing, were sentenced as adults.
With files from CTV Edmonton's Erin Isfeld
