The woman convicted in the 1997 murder of 14-year-old Reena Virk in Saanich has had her day parole continued for another six months.
Kelly Ellard, now 39 and a mother of two who goes by the name Kerry Marie Sim, was 15 when she killed Virk by holding her head under the water near the Craigflower Bridge. She began serving her life sentence for second-degree murder in 2005.
She was first given day parole in November 2017, but was returned to custody last August after failing to report intimate-partner violence, then given day parole once again in October.
Sim waived her right to a hearing for full parole. She said she didn’t seek full parole because “situationally I am not ready,” the Parole Board of Canada said in its decision.
The November 1997 drowning followed Ellard’s decision to confront Virk about comments she had made about a friend, which led to a “swarming and prolonged assault,” according to the parole board decision.
Ellard, who was 15 at the time, ultimately dragged the unconscious Virk to the water and held her head under for about 10 minutes, which resulted in her death, the decision said.
The board said Sim still has “significant needs” and requires the structure and supervision of a community-residential facility — which full parole does not provide.
“To your credit, you readily acknowledge you are not ready for a more expanded form of release at this time.”
Conditions of Sim’s ongoing day parole include not consuming alcohol or drugs other than prescription medication, following psychiatric treatment for anxiety and other mental-health issues and following treatment plans for such things as one-to-one counselling.
Sim has shown resilience, stability and compliance since she won back day parole in October, the board said.
“There is no reliable or persuasive information to indicate you are experiencing deteriorating behaviour or that you have breached any of your special conditions.”
The board said Sim is considered to be “engaged” in her correctional plan, and that she is not currently employed but would like to find work.
“You are assessed as having medium accountability, motivation and reintegration potential,” the board said.
It said its findings lead to the conclusion that Sim does not pose any “undue” risk while on day parole and that it will add to her development as a “law-abiding citizen.”
