Mother in custody after two children stabbed in Winnipeg

Mother in custody after two children stabbed

A 35-year old mother remains in custody after an attack that sent her four-month old baby and nine-year-old son to hospital in critical condition.

Police said both children were stabbed in the stomach, with a source adding the infant suffered the most extensive wounds. Their condition has since been updated to stable.

The Free Press has learned the 35-year-old mother has recently been suffering from post-partum depression. Police, who had to use a translator to interview the woman Thursday night, are investigating what, if any, role that condition or any other possible mental-health issue may have played.

"Any time a stab wound happens to a four-month-old, no matter how superficial to an adult, that would be critical," Winnipeg police Staff Sgt. Andrew Smith told reporters at the scene.

The 33-year-old female victim, the sister of the woman arrested, is listed in stable condition, reportedly from a stab wound to the chest. She was stabbed while trying to protect the children, a source said.

Sources say the mother was the one who called police just after 5 p.m. Thursday. She allegedly left her apartment and calmly waited in the lobby for police to arrive.

The woman was led to a police car, her hands cuffed behind her back. She was wearing a long yellow dress and appeared to have a white gown covering part of her body.

The woman has no prior criminal record, but was taken to hospital by ambulance on Feb. 19, according to a source. She had given birth just a few weeks earlier and was report­edly suffering from post-partum depression. It's not known how long she was hospitalized or what kind of treatment she received.

The attacks created a chaotic rush-hour scene downtown, with more than a dozen police cars, ambulances and first responders converging outside the Manitoba Housing highrise complex at 355 Kennedy St., between Ellice Avenue and Qu'Appelle Avenue.

The incident occurred one block from Central Park, a neighbourhood that is home to many refugees and immigrants. Sources say the mother is originally from Africa, although it's unknown how long she has been in Canada.

Police told reporters at the scene Thursday the incident is believed to be domestic in nature. Smith con­firmed a female suspect had been arrested but didn't provide further details.

Kennedy Street is often crowded on warm evenings with many of the residents who live in the building and other units in the neighbour­hood. But the street was eerily quiet and deserted Thursday night.

A Winnipeg Police Service identi­fication officer could be seen through the large main-floor windows taking photographs in the building lobby. Several Manitoba Housing security guards were also on scene.

Police are expected to release further details at a news conference Friday morning.

Winnipeg mother charged with stabbing two children
A Winnipeg woman has been charged with three counts of attempted murder after her two young sons — a nine-year-old and a four-month-old — and her sister were stabbed.
The children were taken to hospital in critical condition Thursday with wounds to their upper bodies but have since been upgraded to stable, police said.

The 32-year-old sister of the woman was also stabbed as she tried to intervene, but was treated in hospital and released. The sister's four-month-old daughter was not injured, said Const. Jason Michalyshen.
The nine-year-old boy fled the suite in a downtown housing complex after being injured and notified security at the apartment, who then contacted emergency services, police said.
The 35-year-old mother was arrested shortly after the incident, which happened around 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the housing complex at 355 Kennedy St.
Police had to use a translator to interview the mother, who is originally from Africa, Michalyshen said. Neighbours told CBC News the family had moved to Winnipeg from Somalia four years ago.
The Winnipeg Free Press quotes unnamed sources as saying the mother had recently been suffering from postpartum depression.
The woman has also been charged with assault with a weapon and assault. She is in custody at the Provincial Remand Centre.
The children have been placed in the care of the provincial government's Child and Family Services agency.

Immigrants face challenges

People who work with newcomers say there can be stressful challenges for people who come to Canada.
There can be a sense of isolation for people because of language and cultural differences, said Noelle De Pape, executive director of the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba, which offers transitional housing and social services to new Canadians.

While there are many support programs available, people need to be made aware of them and take advantage, she said.
People who have gone through refugee camps may not know how to access help, she added.
"We end up dealing with many issues that are at a crisis point with very expensive front-line services like police and hospital, but we need to focus on prevention and supporting families and their children," De Pape said.
She also noted the location of Thursday's stabbing "is right in the heart of … the newcomer service community, near Central Park."

This woman should be granted bail. She is suffering from depression and is a new immigrant, and prison will likely worsen her condition. I do not believe she is a danger to the public as she has no prior criminal record. 

Woman violates conditional sentence, must serve remaining time in jail

Woman blows shot at freedom

A Manitoba woman is headed to jail after repeated violations of her conditional sentence ended in a dangerous confrontation with RCMP.

Lillian Orvis was initially given a nine-month period to be served in the community last November after pleading guilty to trafficking marijuana on her home reserve of Bloodvein First Nation. She was re-arrested weeks later for breaching several terms of the sentence but convinced provincial court Judge Michel Chartier to give her one final shot at freedom, rather than suspend the rest of her conditional penalty.

His generosity and tolerance backfired.

RCMP responding to an anonymous tip found Orvis driving drunk through the community in March, when she was supposed to be under 24-hour house arrest and not consuming any alcohol. There were several other people in the car, including her 19-year-old son who was wanted for a hit-and-run accident earlier that day.

Orvis briefly pulled over, then sped away when police tried to arrest her. She narrowly missed running over the foot of one officer.

Police gave chase and followed Orvis to the Bloodvein airport, where she stopped her car and made a run for the forest. Two officers followed her footprints in the snow and found her hiding behind a tree, nearly a full kilometre into the woods.

Orvis began threatening the police and their families, armed herself with a broken tree branch and began punching the officers in the chest while shouting "I won't go down without a fight," court was told. Her son also emerged from hiding and began attacking police, who eventually overpowered both mother and son and got them in handcuffs.

Orvis was given a blood-alcohol test and found to be nearly twice the legal limit. Police charged her with impaired driving, flight from police officer, assaulting a police officer and several breaches of her conditional sentence.

Orvis appeared in court Friday seeking to be given yet another opportunity to succeed in the community. But Chartier wasn't convinced, saying her flagrant breaches must be punished. He noted her probation officer says she has shown an "inability and unwillingness" to comply with her court orders and the various programming and treatment options it provides.

"She has totally disregarded the conditional sentence order. This is a serious case of non-compliance," said Chartier. He reminded Orvis about the strong warning he'd given her months earlier when deciding not to send her to jail for her first set of breaches.

"It was made abundantly clear what the consequences of a further breach might be," he said. Chartier said giving her yet another opportunity would leave him "concerned the integrity of conditional sentence orders and public confidence in the administration of justice would be eroded."

Chartier has now ordered Orvis to remain behind bars until her conditional sentence expires in late August. She must also still deal with the new criminal charges stemming from her latest incident.

I believe in second chances. This was one breach by the woman and she should have been given a second chance to succeed in the community. These breaches, consuming alcohol, and the fact that her son was wanted for a hit run, is a refection of deeper problems within this woman's family and ultimately, the community. If this woman lives on a reserve, I am almost positive they don't offer resources and/or alcohol/drug treatment, which is maybe why she isn't participating in that. 

I also wonder, has restorative or Aboriginal justice, which integrate Aboriginal cultures and traditions, healing, restoration and support circles, been considered as an option for this woman? Likely not. 

I feel that prison should only be reserved for the most dangerous and violent offenders. This woman is not one of them, in my opinion. She made a mistake by consuming alcohol. Everyone makes mistakes and she should be given another chance. How will prison solve this woman's family and community conflicts/problems? It likely will not. I think the Judge should have let her serve the remainder of her conditional sentence in the community and offer family counseling, substance abuse treatment (maybe even a residential place) and a healing circle involving the woman, her son and the police officers who she assaulted. This woman needs help, not prison.  

Alleged tanning peeper, is charged again, suggesting a non-isolated previous attack

Alleged tanning peeper charged again 

Stands accused of voyeurism, sex assaults

IT was a shocking crime at a downtown Winnipeg tanning salon -- a young woman accosted in a private room by an unknown intruder who had scaled a wall to spy on her.

Now, evidence is mounting to suggest this was not an isolated attack. Winnipeg police have expanded their investigation and laid a slew of new criminal charges against the alleged voyeur believed to be responsible for the November 2009 incident.

Russel Bruce Cassels, 29, is now accused of sexually assaulting and secretly videotaping two former girlfriends over a lengthy period of time, according to court documents obtained by the Free Press.

One of the women claims she was attacked between June 2008 and August 2009, while the other has cited incidents between July 2009 and February 2010.

On Tuesday, Winnipeg Police Service spokesman Const. Rob Carver said two women recently came forward to shed new light on the existing police probe.

"This is a fairly extensive set of circumstances. We would be casting the net very broad, certainly looking to see where else offences may have been committed and against whom," Carver said.

Cassels was first arrested Dec. 4 and charged with an incident at TanFX that happened days earlier. The 20-year-old woman began screaming for help and the suspect responded by pushing down the lid of the tanning bed so she couldn't escape.

He then fled the facility, located in the underground Winnipeg Square at 360 Main St.

The victim was emotionally traumatized but not physically injured.

Police charged Cassels with voyeurism, break and enter, forcible confinement and a break and enter-related charge. He was released on bail days later, despite objections from the Crown.

Police seized a cellular phone from the accused which allegedly contained a database of several city addresses which included "shower times" for some of the female residents.

Police began visiting several homes in early December to speak with the occupants. A 21-year-old woman said police showed up at her Osborne Village residence to inform her the house she shares with four roommates was on the list.

None of the women had ever seen the accused before. No additional charges have been laid to this point involving those incidents.

Cassels was rearrested on Feb. 23 after allegedly breaching conditions of his bail by assaulting one of his ex-girlfriends. He was granted bail the next day, with the Crown once again opposed.

Police continued to investigate and uncovered additional evidence involving the girlfriend, and another former partner who came forward. Cassels was arrested again on March 12 and has been in custody ever since. His new charges include two more counts of voyeurism, forcible confinement, sexual assault and assault.

Man charged in tanning booth invasion
Tanning booth intruder charged with voyeurism
Alleged peeper had 'shower times' list: police; Tanning salon suspect probed

When I look at the type of attacks and activities that this man has been doing and planning, I see a potential sex offender. Someday, spying on women might not arouse his as much, causing him to move on based on his fantasies, towards sexually assaulting, kidnapping and possibly even killing women. Sex offenders start off with relatively minor crimes and move along a continuum. What I want to know, is why this man was released on bail, TWICE?! Especially after he breached the conditions of his first bail received? It baffles me but at least he is in custody now. 

New trial ordered for serial online "Romeo"

New trial ordered for online "Romeo" 

Online predator targetted moms

8 years for online predator turned lover 

"Mr. Right" had troubling history of violence: victim

Manitoba’s highest court has ordered a new trial for a serial online "Romeo" who targets vulnerable single mothers through the Internet – only to terrorize them and their children after earning their trust.

Terrance Moquin, 39, was sentenced to eight years in prison last year after being convicted of assault for his latest in a long list of crimes that span 15 years and two countries.

However, the penalty could have been higher if not for several acquittals stemming from the same case, including more serious charges of assault causing bodily harm and uttering threats.

The Court of Appeal ruled this week the trial judge was wrong to dismiss the more serious charges and has ordered another hearing. No dates have been set.

Moquin was described in court as a predator who wins the hearts of his many victims with a bogus tale of bravado – only to take advantage of their trust in shocking fashion.

He is described as a serial predator who scours the Internet for vulnerable single mothers, wins their hearts with a bogus tale of bravado and then terrorizes them and their children.

Terrance Moquin has left a trail of dashed hopes and devastated victims across Canada and in the United States in a 15-year crime spree. Now a Manitoba Crown attorney wants the justice system to fight back.

"He's sadistic, manipulative and relentless in his offences. He appears to be unstoppable, whether he's on parole, probation, on release or, for that matter, even when he's in jail," prosecutor Cindy Sholdice told provincial court Judge Ken Champagne in calling for a seven-year prison sentence.

"He is capable of extreme physical and mental violence against vulnerable individuals."

Moquin, 38, is expected to learn his fate Tuesday morning after being convicted of his latest crimes, which involve befriending a single mother of two children in an online chat room and then assaulting her when the relationship turned sour in 2007. Moquin was on parole and probation at the time and required to report all relationships to justice officials, which he failed to do.

"Over and over and over again... he manipulated his probation officers. They never suspected a thing," Sholdice said during her sentencing submissions last week.

Like past victims, Moquin told the woman his name was really "Lane Kidd," a former U.S. marine and trained sniper from Texas who had fought in Iraq and moved to western Manitoba to pursue a successful career in the oil and trucking industry. He even proudly showed off his army tattoo.

Moquin's adult criminal history dates back to the early 1990s, when he repeatedly attacked his wife when she confronted him about his penchant for using phone-sex chat lines. He forced the woman to perform oral sex on him while holding a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her in front of their young son, court was told.

Moquin got out of jail in 1998 and quickly befriended a married woman in Red Deer, Alta. He eventually moved into the home -- her husband was on a lengthy work-related stint overseas -- and began to administer "corporal punishment" to her three children, aged 7, 9 and 11.

His most disturbing act involved telling the kids he was going to kill them all and forcing them to choose the means -- a beating, hanging or throat-slitting. Moquin then began to act out the death scenarios, even tying a dog collar around one child's neck and holding him over the side of a staircase, court was told.

He was given two years in prison and three years' probation for those incidents. A parole report claimed Moquin displayed a "callous disregard for the rights of others."

Moquin continued a similar pattern of behaviour following his release, meeting nearly a dozen women in Manitoba through the Internet. Their romances usually ended when Moquin got caught stealing money from them and/or abusing them and their children, court was told.

Moquin received several short jail terms in the early 2000s, usually not for more than about six months at a time.

In 2005, he befriended a married woman from Minot, N.D. and convinced her to come to Winnipeg to post bail for him after one of his arrests for breaching terms of his probation. She left her husband and children, believing Moquin's story that he'd got into a fight while "defending the American flag" with a rude Canadian, court was told. She was intercepted by police who told her the truth about her online lover.

Moquin has spent the past year in custody, and the Crown is seeking up to six more years in prison. Defence lawyer Jody Ostapiw said her client only deserves another year behind bars, saying he can't be given extra punishment just for being a chronic "liar."

A serial "Romeo" who targeted vulnerable single mothers through the Internet -- only to terrorize them and their children -- has been sentenced to eight years in prison.

Terrance Moquin, 38, learned his fate Tuesday after admitting to the latest in a long list of crimes that span 15 years and two countries. Provincial court Judge Ken Champagne gave Moquin a higher sentence than the Crown had sought.

Moquin was described as a predator who wins the hearts of his many victims with a bogus tale of bravado, only to take advantage of their trust. His latest convictions involved befriending a single mother of two children in an online chat room and then assaulting her when the relationship turned sour in 2007. Moquin was on parole and probation at the time and required to report all relationships to justice officials, which he failed to do.

Employing a tactic he used with past victims, Moquin told the woman that his name was Lane Kidd, and he was a former U.S. marine and trained sniper from Texas who had fought in Iraq and moved to western Manitoba to pursue a successful career in the oil and trucking industry. He even proudly showed off his army tattoo.

"He's sadistic, manipulative and relentless in his offences. He appears to be unstoppable, whether he's on parole, probation, on release or, for that matter, even when he's in jail," prosecutor Cindy Sholdice told Champagne in calling for a seven-year sentence.

"He is capable of extreme physical and mental violence against vulnerable individuals."

Moquin's adult criminal history dates back to the early 1990s, when he repeatedly attacked his wife as she confronted him about his penchant for using sex chat lines.

Moquin has spent the past year in custody, for which he was given 18 months of credit. The judge imposed another six-and-a-half years behind bars.

Defence lawyer Jody Ostapiw had called for only another year of custody for her client.

SHE thought she'd met Mr. Right, a charming and caring former U.S. soldier who would nurse her back to health following a serious car crash and be a good role model to her two teenaged boys.

Instead, the man at the other end of the online dating website was a serial con artist with a disturbing criminal history and a penchant for physical and mental torment against single mothers and their children.

Now free from his clutches -- but still living in fear -- the western Manitoba woman spoke out this week as her former lover was given an eight-year prison sentence for his latest crime spree. She wants to warn other women not to fall into the same trap.

"I still have nightmares," the woman said as she recalled a nearly year-long romance with Terrance Moquin that began in 2004. "I thought he was this rich Texan. We clicked. We never should have clicked."

Moquin told the woman, like all his past victims, he was really "Lane Kidd," a former marine and trained sniper who had fought in Iraq and moved to western Manitoba to pursue a successful career in the oil and trucking industry. He even proudly showed off his army tattoo.

The woman had no idea about his real identity or criminal history, which dates back to the early 1990s when he repeatedly attacked his wife. He forced her to perform oral sex on him while holding a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her in front of their young son, court was told.

Moquin got out of jail in 1998 and befriended a married woman in Red Deer, Alta, eventually moving into the home while her husband was away. He told her three children, aged 7, 9 and 11, he was going to kill them all and forced them to choose the means. Moquin then began to act out the death scenarios, court was told. He also hung the family dog from the basement ceiling and beat it in front of the children. He was given two years in prison for those incidents.

Moquin's former girlfriend from Manitoba wasn't surprised to hear of his previous crimes after her relationship with him ended in early 2005.

"He beat my boys until they were black and blue," she said. "They would get hell if they even looked at him the wrong way." Her sons, then 12 and 13, were thrown down a flight of stairs and told they would be killed when they turned 18, she said.

The woman said Moquin also abused and killed several of the dogs and cats living on their rural property, beat her repeatedly and stole nearly $20,000 from her after racking up her credit cards and withdrawing money from her account.

She was heavily medicated at the time following a major car crash and said she couldn't fully appreciate what he was doing to her family.

"He told me 'Oh, I'll take care of you.' I wasn't quick enough to pick up on what I should have picked up on," she said.

The boys eventually told their father about the abuse, and Moquin was arrested, charged and convicted. But he quickly returned to the community -- and to his old ways.

In late 2005, he befriended a married woman from Minot, N.D. and convinced her to come to Winnipeg to post bail for him after one of his arrests for breaching terms of his probation. She left her husband and children, believing Moquin's story that he'd got into a fight while "defending the American flag" with a rude Canadian, court was told. She was intercepted by police who told her the truth about her online lover.

Moquin's latest convictions from this week involve befriending a single mother of two children in an online chat room and then assaulting her when the relationship turned sour in 2007. Moquin was on parole and probation at the time and required to report all relationships to justice officials, which he failed to do.

Edmonton man sent to prison for beating woman with a cane

Man jailed for beating woman with cane

- An Edmonton man who admitted viciously beating a disabled woman with her own cane – leaving her with a shattered face and too scared to go out – has been locked up.

- Dennis Jeffrey Perrot, 45, was sentenced to three years in prison Tuesday in provincial court after pleading guilty to aggravated assault, uttering death threats and assault.
- “You destroyed her life in many ways,” said Judge Albert Chrumka, adding there was almost a “touch of evil” to the unprovoked attack inflicted on the 62-year-old victim.
- The judge also said he found the sentence, a joint submission by Crown and defence, to be a “bit low” and refused to give Perrot any credit for the four months he spent in pre-trial custody at the Edmonton Remand Centre.
- Crown prosecutor Marisa Anderson told court Perrot had gone over to his ex-wife’s residence on Oct. 20 after being assaulted by some men and they began arguing about his lifestyle as she tended to his injuries.
- Meanwhile, the woman’s friend, Margaret Darbel, was sitting in the living room selecting a ring tone for her cell phone and the noise “irritated” Perrot, said Anderson.
- Perrot began to argue with the woman, who has difficulty walking as a result of suffering from Multiple Sclerosis, and he grabbed her copper cane and began repeatedly striking her about the head and face, said Anderson.
- As Darbel was bleeding profusely from her face, Perrot’s ex-wife tried to remove him and was pushed into a wall.
- Police were called and Darbel was taken to the Royal Alexandra Hospital, where she was treated for severe facial lacerations, two black eyes, a broken nose, a broken cheekbone and a broken orbital socket.
- Perrot also threatened Darbel by saying he would “cut her throat with a knife” if she called police.
- “This was a brutal and vicious attack on someone who was defenceless,” said Anderson, adding Perrot has a “violent and disturbing” lengthy criminal record.
- Darbel told court she used to be outgoing and was active doing both work and volunteer activities.
- “Now I’m a recluse and staying in my home because I’m scared to death that someone would be after me,” said Darbel, adding she can’t see well due to the injuries near her eye and her cheek is completely numb.
- “Emotionally I’m not the same,” she said. “I’m scared to death to go outside.”
- Defence lawyer Akram Attia told court the word “senseless” keeps coming to both his and Perrot’s minds.
- “He doesn’t know why he did it,” said Attia. “He just lashed out as a result of being assaulted.”
- Attia also told court Perrot is a product of an unfortunate upbringing and environment and said alcohol and drugs have been “rampant” throughout his life.
- Perrot tearfully apologized before being sentenced.
- “That poor lady. I didn’t mean to hurt her and I’m really, really sorry that that happened. That’s not what I’m about,” said Perrot. “What I have done to that poor lady and to my family is just not acceptable.”
- Perrot was also ordered to submit a DNA sample for the national DNA databank in Ottawa and prohibited from possessing weapons for 10 years.

I have done research and know for a fact, that prison is not an effective punishment in the majority of cases and that it does not deter crime from the public, only from the offender by incapacitating them. Even though this man has a violent and lengthy criminal record, I feel that he is remorseful and needs to get help for his alcohol and drug and anger management problems. I feel that a sentence of 2 years less a day in provincial prison would be appropriate along with 3 years probation, instead of sending him to a federal prison.