By: Jane Sims
GODERICH — A psychiatric and psychological assessment has been ordered for a 13-year-old boy charged with first-degree murder in the death of another child east of Goderich.
At a brief hearing in youth court Thursday, Ontario Court Justice Timothy Macdonald agreed to the joint request from the Crown and the defence for the assessment, calling it “entirely appropriate in this case.”
The boy appeared by video link from where he is being incarcerated to a Goderich courtroom. Under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, his name, the name of the 12-year-old victim and evidence heard at the hearing are subject to a publication ban.
He was charged on July 2 after Ontario Provincial Police in Huron County were called at about 4:20 p.m. to a property on Cut Line Road between Parr Line and Tipperary Line near the tiny community of Holmesville, which is located west of Clinton.
Police said at the time that they found an injured youth who was rushed to hospital and later pronounced dead.
Sources have told Postmedia News that the victim is a 12-year-old girl.
During the early stages of the probe, there was a heavy police presence and yellow emergency tape at the former Holmesville Public School, which closed several years ago.
A week later, the OPP said they wanted to locate two people they believe might have been in a wooded area near the school between 12 and 4:15 p.m. on the day of the homicide. They also asked that anyone who had been driving in the area at the time check their dashboard cameras for footage that could help in the case.
At Thursday’s hearing, the youth’s defence lawyer, Robert Morris, said he had discussed the assessment with the youth and “he is agreeable to it.” Morris also pointed out that the boy’s father was in the courtroom for the brief appearance.
The youth’s next court appearance is slated for Sept. 5.