A 14-year-old boy charged with first-degree murder in the death of another teenager made a second bail appearance at the Barrie courthouse Friday morning via video remand.
The youth, who cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, is scheduled to be back in two weeks, again by video remand. He has been charged with first-degree murder, aggravated assault with a weapon and failure to comply with a sentence.
Details heard at the bail hearing are under a publication ban.
The boy is accused of killing a 15-year-old resident at a home on Penvill Trail, a house where they both lived.
Police have confirmed that both boys lived in the home, but were not related.
The victim's name has not been released by police.
An autopsy has also been completed, but the cause of death was not been made public.
Barrie police responded to the single detached home, located near Ardagh Road and County Road 27, around 6 a.m. the morning of Tuesday, Feb. 19. The suspect was arrested a short distance away on McIntyre Drive.
At the courthouse today, the accused's attorney, Sheldon Wisener, told BarrieToday there wasn’t much to discuss because it remains very early in the case.
“Not much to say today,” Wisener said. “We’ve got a little more information, but I don’t believe it is entirely what I am going to need to get started. We’re back in two weeks and that should produce more of what is needed for our end.”
With one teen dead and one accused of murder, Wisener said there are tragedies throughout this case, including the situation the two boys found themselves in to begin with.
“It really is a very tragic situation,” the lawyer said. “A teenager who has stood in court twice, albeit once by video, and no one was here to see him ... not family, not the CAS (Children's Aid Society), no one.
"This is a hard one for anyone to swallow and we’ll see where we are in two weeks," Wisener said.
BarrieToday reached out to Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions, which is the amalgamated organization of the Simcoe County CAS and Family, Youth and Child Services of Simcoe Muskoka.
The organization’s director of communications and community relations, Melanie McLearon, said neither she nor the organization could speak to the case or any specifics, but did say they would always do what's best for the children.
"We obviously can't speak to any specific case, whether this one or any other, but if any young person in the care of CAS was involved in any situation where they needed help or support, we provide that support fully in any way we can," she said.
People residing in the Penvill Trail neighbourhood have said they believe the house was being used as either a group or foster home, but those details haven't been confirmed by BarrieToday.
According to records at the Legislature Office at Barrie City Hall, the Penvill Trail house had been purchased by a man and woman in August 2016.
The Penvill Trail home has been listed for sale online, but had been removed as recently as Jan. 11.
