A teen originally charged with attempted murder has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of robbery after an attack on a worker at the Elk Island Youth Ranch near Lamont, Alta. in February 2017.
The teen also pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching a youth sentence.
Two teens, who both have lengthy criminal records, were being tried in court separately. Originally, both teens pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The teens cannot be named because of their age. Global News has decided to refer to them as “teen X” and “teen Y.”
Teen X’s case was scheduled to go to trial at the end of January, while teen Y is waiting for a decision in his case after his trial wrapped up in late December.
READ MORE: Teen testifies he wasn’t involved in vicious assault on Alberta youth worker
During that case, teen X testified against teen Y, but his testimony was protected under a publication ban. Global News fought to have the publication ban removed.
The teen testified that the pair wanted to leave the youth ranch and had made a plan to steal a vehicle a couple of days before the attack. They were in the kitchen area when teen X told the court that teen Y told him to “get me those office keys.”
Teen X said he left the room when teen Y asked the victim for a hug.
“I heard a thump,” teen X said. “He had her in a chokehold.”
READ MORE: Worker beaten at Alberta youth home says every bone in her face was broken
The teen said he was rummaging through offices at the ranch when the attack was happening. He located keys to a vehicle and said he also looked for money.
“I heard more stomps,” he testified, adding there was a lot of blood. “I’ve never seen that much blood in one place.”
Last year, the victim in the case, Heather Vanderzee, told Global News that after the attack, every bone in her face was broken, she was stabbed in the cheek and she said there was an attempt to cut her throat.
Watch below: Heather Vanderzee explains how every bone in her face was broken, she was stabbed in the cheek and she said there was an attempt to cut her throat.
The Crown prosecutor in the case Marissa Tordoff asked teen X: “Did you assault her in any way?”
“No,” he said. “The only thing I did myself – I asked her for the keys.”
“I’ve never seen something like that happen,” he testified.
“Were you afraid of him?” Tordoff asked.
“I was scared of what he did,” he said. “I wasn’t scared of him.”
“Did you see Heather Vanderzee being stabbed?” Tordoff asked.
“No,” he said.
“Did you try help?” she said.
“No,” teen X said. “I don’t know if there’s anything… I kind of wish there’s something I could have done.”
It’s alleged the two teens stole a vehicle from the ranch and drove to a parking lot in north Edmonton. The pair said they slept in the truck. They were questioned the next day about their identities at the Northgate Transit Centre. Teen X was allowed to leave while security officers questioned teen Y after he gave a false name.
Teen X was later arrested on a City of Edmonton bus.
READ MORE: Family of attacked Elk Island youth worker felt ‘anger’ seeing teens charged with attempted murder
During cross-examination, defense attorney Gary Smith turned the narrative on teen X.
“You were the one who stole the vehicle?” Smith asked.
“Ya,” teen X said.
“You were kicking her, stabbed her in the face?” Smith asked.
“I have had a long time to think about this. That is not what happened,” teen X testified.
Smith argued the testimony should be rejected in the case against his client, teen Y.
Teen Y also testified in his own defense and pointed the finger back at teen X.
“[He] was kicking Heather [and] I tried to stop him. He stabbed Heather in the cheek,” teen Y said.
Teen Y told the court that he had tried to help the woman by doing CPR.
“I started doing compressions that my mom taught me in first aid class,” he said.
Teen Y said he was pushed into the vehicle by teen X.
“He says if you tell anybody you’re going to be next,” teen Y said. “I felt like I was going to die.”
The Crown said teen Y’s testimony was “fanciful” and should be rejected.
The Crown prosecutor in the case asked for 303 days in custody for teen X, which translates to time served. The Crown also asked for 12 months’ probation.
The defense asked for time served.
Provincial Court Justice Danielle Dalton recognized the circumstances were quite horrific, and added that teen X didn’t assault Vanderzee but said “you played a part.” Dalton said thought teen X was turning his life around and accepted that he is remorseful.
The judge handed down a 303-day sentence for time served, along with nine months’ probation.
After court, Vanderzee said she doesn’t feel justice was served.
“I’ve changed a lot… and I’ll never be the same… physically and mentally,” she said, adding she still can’t remember the night of the attack.
“What they did to me, I have to live with the rest of my life, and I still have a lot of surgeries.
“I’m not eating that much yet… because I’ve got no teeth in yet and the plastic that’s in my mouth, well I’ll be happy when that comes out… my eye is really bad. I’ve got a plastic socket behind my eye… and my nose, it has nerve pain, so it burns all the time.”
A decision is expected in teen Y’s case on March 23.
In court on Friday, teen X also pleaded guilty to several charges in relation to a break and enter on Dec. 13, including breaching curfew and break and enter. With time served, the teen will spend another 37 days in custody to be served as deferred custody, which is similar to house arrest, but for a youth.
With files from Kim Smith, Global News.
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