A 16-year-old girl accused of second-degree murder in the death of a six-week-old boy in Saskatoon is not a friend of the child’s family, according to the infant’s grandfather.
“We didn’t even know her,” said Jeffery Longman, the child’s grandfather, who spoke outside of provincial court Tuesday morning after the accused, who cannot be named, made her second appearance.
“The girls met her downtown, she had nowhere to go.”
READ MORE: Teen accused in Saskatoon baby’s death had escaped custody
On Sunday morning police responded to a report of an injured infant at a home in the 200 block of Waterloo Crescent. He died later that day in hospital.
Longman said he raised his children to help others in need and indicated that they were trying to “help out a person that is lost to society and the world.”
“This is what she came back; give me back thanks like this, taking my grandson away from us,” he said.
Longman addressed online criticism that the mother of the boy had been negligent or was at fault.
“There’s other sides to this story that people don’t even know and they’re hurting my feelings and my family’s feelings.”
READ MORE: Teen charged with 2nd degree murder in death of infant in Saskatoon
The family was not aware of the teen’s criminal history, according to Longman. A day before the killing she had escaped from the Kilburn Hall Youth Centre, where she was serving an open custody sentence, according to corrections officials.
“There was about thirty hours where she was out of our care before she was re-arrested by police,” said Drew Wilby, the executive director of Saskatchewan’s justice ministry.
WATCH BELOW: Teenager accused of murdering six-week-old baby in Saskatoon has criminal history
The sentence stems from a December 2015 court case, in which the teen pleaded guilty to a number of charges. Because she was serving an open custody sentence, she was able to walk away from the facility, according to Wilby.
“They are confined to the facility by law, but they’re not locked into the facility,” Wilby said.
“An open custody youth has been deemed by a court to be safe enough to be in the community.”
READ MORE: Teenager accused of murdering six-week-old baby in Saskatoon has criminal history
After the 16-year-old’s brief court appearance Tuesday, Longman said his family is seeking justice for his six-week-old grandson.
There will be a candle light vigil for the boy in Saskatoon Tuesday night.
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