A B.C. mother at the centre of a multimillion-dollar court judgment says no amount of money will make up for the catastrophic brain injuries her son suffered in a 2016 attack.
In June 2016, Kristopher Teichrieb attacked 18-year-old Jessie Simpson with a baseball bat after the teen wandered onto his Kamloops property.
Teichrieb is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to aggravated assault in 2018.
A civil trial found him liable for damages, which a B.C Supreme Court judge recently assessed at $6.94 million.
“Kristopher Teichrieb, what you did to Jessie, my son, will never be forgiven and never be forgotten,” mother Susan Simpson said.
Simpson will need 24-hour care for the rest of his life.
“I see my son, 23 years old, in a nursing home,” Susan said. “He doesn’t remember what he had for breakfast. Jessie’s short-term memory (is) affected for life.”
Damages include $3 million for future care, $1.5 million for health-care services, $1.3 million for loss of future income, and approximately $400,000 for pain and suffering.
Simpson’s care costs are currently being covered by Victims Services as well as donations from the community.
A GoFundMe has been started to raise money for Jessie’s care and his family.
Susan wonders if her family will ever see the money that has been awarded to them.
More civil action is on the horizon as the Simpsons challenge the alleged sale of Teichrieb’s home to his parents for $1, which occurred shortly after the 2016 attack.
While Simpson’s life was forever altered by the attack, Susan says she finds solace in the progress her son has made.
“From the moment he was attacked, he fought — a true hero,” she said.
“He learned how to talk, feed himself, and after almost five years, the victory in Jessie’s face — so proud of himself — that he is able to lift his arm and to almost open his hand after suffering a catastrophic brain injury and a stroke.”
— With files from CFJC