In what the judge called one of the toughest decisions he鈥檚 ever made, the 琉璃神社 woman who fatally stabbed Eli Beauregard in June 2019, has avoided jail time.

Judge Gregory Korturbash sentenced the woman, who can鈥檛 be named due to her being a minor at the time of the offence, to spend 24 months in an Intensive Rehabilitative Custody and Supervision (IRCS) program. She pleaded guilty to manslaughter in April.

鈥淥ver the past month, I have agonized over what the appropriate sentence should be. As a parent, the thought of losing a child to such a senseless act is unimaginable,鈥� Kortubash said while rendering his decision on Monday, July 12.

鈥淲e have already lost one young person and we 鈥� meaning all of us 鈥� need to do what we can not to lose another.鈥�

Under the IRCS program, the woman is subject to a number of conditions, including a six-month period in which she鈥檚 not allowed to leave her home without permission from her youth worker. If she doesn鈥檛 abide by the conditions of the program, she could be arrested and made to spend the entire sentence behind bars.

鈥淲hen we don鈥檛 provide those resources, kids fall through the cracks. That鈥檚 what happened here鈥� She tried to access resources many times and often they weren鈥檛 available or not available until something like this happens, 鈥� said the woman鈥檚 defence lawyer Joe Killoran.

鈥淚f something like and IRCS was available for one, or both or many of the kids on the streets, a lot of tragedies could be prevented.鈥�

Through Korturbash鈥檚 decision, the court heard both youths were living on the street in 琉璃神社 when the young woman stabbed 16-year-old Beauregard twice in the arm, lacerating an artery and eventually causing his death, on June 29, 2019.

READ MORE:

The woman struggled with a number of mental health illnesses, including borderline personality disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, as well as substance and alcohol abuse. She was intoxicated at the time of the attack.

鈥淯nlike most other teenagers, you were not well equipped to deal with or control your anger impulses that day. You鈥檝e made very significant efforts to turn your life around,鈥� Kortubash said, directly addressing the woman.

Since 2019, she has completed a substance use treatment program and is living on her own in another B.C. city.

Explaining the gravity of his decision, Korturbash left the young woman with some parting words.

鈥淒on鈥檛 let me down, ma鈥檃m. Don鈥檛 let Elijah down, don鈥檛 let his parents down. There鈥檚 a lot on your shoulders鈥� You need to do your best, okay?鈥�

As proceedings ended, Judge Gregory Koturbash addressed the woman directly: "Dont let me down, ma'am. Don't let Elijah down, don't let his parents down. There's a lot on your shoulders... You need to do your best, okay?"

鈥� Michael Rodriguez (@MichaelRdrguez)