Kelly Ellard’s day parole has been continued another six months, despite the Parole Board of Canada’s concerns about her relationship with the father of her son, who remains in prison after his statutory release was revoked.
Ellard, who has changed her name to Kerry Marie Sim, was convicted of the second-degree murder of 14-year-old Reena Virk in November 1997. She was 15 at the time.
Ellard, now 36 and the mother of a two-year-old boy, was granted day parole in November 2017.
After her release on day parole from Fraser Valley Institution for Women, Ellard successfully attended residential treatment for substance abuse. Her case management team has found her to be open and transparent and able to manage stress well. She has participated in counselling and has worked part time in sales and marketing.
Ellard’s day parole was continued in July. She was allowed to visit the home of a friend and to spend the weekend with her spouse, Darwin Dorozan.
Being a mother has motivated her to continue making positive changes in her life, the board says.
“The Ministry of Children and Family Development have closed their file as they no longer have any concerns about the welfare of your child,” the decision says. “Of concern to the board, is your common-law spouse’s recent suspension while he was on release, and this relationship will have to be carefully monitored going forward.”
Ellard handled it well when Dorozan’s statutory release was revoked and he was ordered back to prison in September, the board said.
The parole board found Dorozan had tampered with his electronic monitoring device and breached his release conditions by associating with offenders under supervision in the community, downloading an encrypted communications app to delete messages on his cellphone and manually deleting messages on his cellphone.
Dorozan, 44, has a criminal history that includes robbery and kidnapping a drug dealer who was tortured, shot and killed by his accomplice. He is serving a six-year, nine-month sentence for a string of violent break-ins in 2010 and 2011.
In its decision, the parole board said Ellard’s release will not present an undue risk to society and will help with her return to society as a law-abiding citizen. She must not consume, purchase or possess alcohol or drugs, other than prescribed medications, or associate with any person she knows or has reason to believe is involved in criminal activity.
She is not allowed to have contact with the Virk family. She must follow a treatment program arranged by her parole supervisor for substance abuse, managing her emotions, reintegrating into society and personal trauma.
Ellard began serving a life sentence for the murder of Reena Virk in July 2005. Parole eligibility was set at seven years. A court heard that Ellard and several other teens swarmed and beat Virk before Ellard and a teenage boy held her head under water until she drowned.
