B.C. mother Lisa Batstone guilty of second-degree murder in 2014 death of 8-year-old daughter

A B.C. Supreme Court justice has found Lisa Batstone guilty of second-degree murder in the 2014 death of her eight-year-old daughter.

Batstone was charged with second-degree murder after the body of her daughter Teagan was found in the back of her vehicle.

The defence wanted her found guilty on the lesser offence of manslaughter.

Batstone’s ex-husband Gabe spoke to reporters outside, saying he’s pleased with today’s decision and he’ll hold onto the short eight years he had with his daughter.

“I just wanted a bit of Teagens love and joy and to remember that and not to remember her last moments. Not to remember her having a plastic bag held over her head for five minutes,” he said.

“That’s not what I want to leave here with, I want to leave here with her smile when she danced, how she loved her friends, the way that she was just a happy empathetic loving person.”

The court heard Teagan Batstone was smothered to death with a plastic bag in December 2014. The young girl’s body was found in the trunk of her mother’s car in Surrey, according to the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team.

WATCH: Crown delivers their case in Batstone closing arguments

1:24 Crown delivers argues their case in Batstone closing arguments

During the course of the trial, the court heard audio and video recordings of Batstone saying she wanted her daughter to “be with Jesus.”

Those recordings formed a key part of Crown’s argument that she smothered her daughter knowingly and with intent, choosing to do it while the girl slept to ensure she didn’t suffer.

WATCH: Defence argues Lisa Batstone ‘didn’t perceive reality’ when she killed her daughter

1:27 Defence argues Lisa Batstone ‘didn’t perceive reality’ when she killed her daughter

“I just wanted both her and I to be gone and both be in heaven,” according to one quote of Batstone’s read to the court.

Batstone was found mentally fit for trial, however, her defence argued there was evidence calling her mental state into question and whether she was actually aware that what she was doing was morally wrong.

Forensic psychologists testified that her behaviour showed signs of borderline personality disorder, along with anxiety and depression. It also argued that a perceived falling out with her pastor at the time could have affected her mental state.

— With files from Jill Bennett