Protesters available to ‘present Kaylie that she is beloved and supported and that she has folks right here which might be keen to get justice for her’
HAILEYBURY, Ont. — When approached from the south, the trek to the Haileybury Courthouse follows an extended and winding street. Snow sparsely covers the bottom as Freeway 11B travels via Coleman, Cobalt and North Cobalt and in every single place one seems, winter is on the cusp of arrival.
Whereas the locals in these fiercely northern Ontario cities would usually be sharing their ideas and prognostications on the upcoming winter climate right now of 12 months, this autumn has introduced a special, way more troublesome subject of dialog — a heinous act of violence in Cobalt the OPP is investigating as intimate associate violence (IPV) — that left one in every of their very own preventing for her life.
Everybody is aware of everybody right here. “Southerners” stick out like sore thumbs in these elements. Each particular person encountered, whether or not within the gasoline station or on the road close to the place a vigil was held for the sufferer on Sunday, figures you might be on the town for the court docket date and “Kaylie Smith” are the primary phrases out of their mouths. Over one week since the assault, they are saying it stays the central dialog in these cities and past.
Kaylie Smith is in secure situation at CHEO in Ottawa the place she is being supported by her household, who’ve requested for privateness as they navigate the early a part of the 16-year-old lady’s restoration — an extended and winding street, certainly.
In the meantime, Philippe Gagnon, 18, faces his personal arduous street as his case makes its method via the preliminary phases of the judicial system. A publication ban is now in place. The Smith household and associates have recognized Gagnon as a former boyfriend of Smith’s. His case was remanded for 2 weeks so Gagnon will stay behind bars.
A wholesome, rotating group of supporters carried indicators and chanted exterior the Haileybury Courthouse on Tuesday morning in sub-zero temperatures. All who attended expressed shock on the violent assault and vowed to maintain returning to protest to maintain the accused in jail.
“Home violence is not any joke,” acknowledged Kailey Kennedy as she took a break from shouting and waving her signal that learn, “Justice for Kaylie! No bail! “As somebody who’s been there and has seen firsthand how scary folks can get. It is no joke. It actually is not.
“To see this little lady develop up — and she or he is such a sweetheart. She is such a sweetheart. To all their associates, I used to be the large sister and so to see this little lady undergo one thing so horrific at such a younger age is ridiculous and it shouldn’t have occurred. My coronary heart breaks for her.”
Carol Kennedy mentioned she spoke to Kaylie Smith over the cellphone whereas she was on the vigil in Cobalt on Sunday.
“I simply need to say that I did get to talk to her for a few minutes over the cellphone and I used to be so impressed. She is such a robust child, man she’s robust.”
A 3rd Kennedy — Grace — spoke eloquently on behalf of the group within the video above.
Kaylie Smith’s pal Kessie Pellerin was one of many first to point out up for the protest and was outspoken about the necessity to maintain the perpetrators of IPV locked up.
“We want justice to be served for what occurred to her. Nobody deserves what occurred to her, particularly for all of the grotesque stuff. He must be locked up and she or he must have reassurance that she doesn’t have to fret about that taking place ever once more.”
Pellerin mentioned she has been in contact together with her expensive pal.
“She’s OK. She is totally traumatized. She had blunt-force trauma to her head and 16 hours of mind surgical procedure alone. She had round 12 hours of cosmetic surgery on her fingers. She cannot get the sensation out of her thoughts.”
On Sunday, Nov. 3, at 6 p.m., Temiskaming OPP was known as to the scene of the assault, the place police say a car had struck the lady on the intersection of Higher Helen Avenue and Prospect Avenue, close to Freeway 11B after getting off a bus and beginning her stroll house following a shift at work.
“The investigation revealed that an 18-year-old male driving a sport utility car struck a 16-year-old feminine strolling alongside Helen Avenue. The male then exited the car and attacked the sufferer with a sword,” in accordance with an OPP launch.
The lady suffered life-threatening accidents and was rushed to an area hospital earlier than being airlifted by Ornge to Ottawa.
“The short response from native residents and witnesses to the incident stopped additional assaults on the sufferer,” say police.
Moreover the intense head accidents, the household of the sufferer mentioned her left hand was severed utterly from her physique and her proper hand was very severely lower up by an edged weapon that police have recognized as a sword.
Phillipe Rivard Gagnon from Haileybury, 18, was turned in by his mom and is charged in connection to the assault with:
Try and commit homicide
Aggravated assault
Possession of a weapon for a harmful function
Breach of conditional sentence order
A household spokesperson confirmed the sufferer is a former girlfriend of the suspect.
The Temiskaming OPP Crime Unit is constant the investigation beneath the course of the OPP Prison Investigation Department.
Member of the family Paige Smith, Kaylie’s cousin, began a GoFundMe web page for the sufferer and over $97,000 has already been raised by 1,300 donors towards the $100,000 purpose.
“First off we’d prefer to thank first-responders, medical doctors, nurses, the witnesses and everybody concerned in getting Kaylie the care she wanted so shortly because it undoubtedly made a big impact on her survival. We’d additionally prefer to thank the group, the donors, the networks, and the huge quantity of individuals reaching out to assist and help Kaylie and the household within the wake of such a heinous and horrific assault.
“We wish to let folks know that Kaylie continues to be secure, the medical doctors, nurses, employees, and household are in full awe of her power, resilience, and dedication. She stays in ICU and on the time we request no guests as it isn’t allowed whereas she is in such a weak state. As for restoration, no one is aware of how that is going to go, it is a lot too early, it is a journey that may take months if not a lifetime for Kaylie to heal and overcome.”
If you would like to ship the household an encouraging be aware it has an e-mail account the place you can ship messages of hope, the e-mail tackle is [email protected].
— With recordsdata from Jeff Turl
