Peace bond replaces charges for mother who tried ‘misguided intervention’ with her daughter
By Peggy Revell on September 14, 2017.
prevell@medicinehatnews.com @MHNprevell Charges of kidnapping, assault and conspiracy were withdrawn Wednesday against a Medicine Hat woman for an incident described as a “misguided intervention” with her daughter. The woman — who isn’t being named so as to protect the identity of the girl who was 17 at the time — instead entered into a 12-month peace bond, with the promise to be of good behaviour and keep the peace. It’s a “bit unusual” for a serious charges like kidnapping to be resolved in this way, the Crown said, with the incident described in court as a “misguided intervention” on behalf of the mother who was trying to get the girl sober, and then into a drug rehabilitation program. The incident occurred in January when the woman, with the assistance another man and woman, located the young woman at a convenience store, grabbed her and took her out to a car against her will. A less kind description would be “vigilantism,” said the Crown. The daughter is now living out of province with relatives, is seeking treatment and is working to deal with her addictions. “I’m super proud of her,” the mother told the judge, with tears from both mother and daughter at times during the court proceedings. Judge Redman said the charges were serious, but due to the circumstances he feels comfortable proceeding with the peace bond instead of dealing with the matter like the mother is a criminal. The other woman involved pled guilty to simple assault and was sentenced to 60 days time served in August. Judge Redman also vacated the warrant and charges were withdrawn against the man involved, who had allegedly been the driver of the vehicle but had attempted to extricate himself from the situation as it escalated. 12
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