Slain baby's family upset as killer's sentencing delayed

The grandfather of a six-week-old baby murdered in Saskatoon last summer says the wait for justice is starting to wear thin.

Nikosis Jace Cantre was killed on July 3, 2016 by a 16-year-old girl who was on the run from Kilburn Hall Youth Centre.

The girl, whose name is subject to a publication ban, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in October.

Since then, sentencing has been repeatedly pushed back.

The main source of delays has been getting the girl’s mental health examined and getting her tested for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

On Tuesday, the girl’s lawyer unexpectedly withdrew from the case, leaving Jeffery Longman, Cantre’s grandfather, upset at yet another delay in the proceedings.

“July 3 will be a year that this happened to my grandson. I’m just disappointed,” he said.

Longman said he and other members of Cantre’s family have to travel three hours to come into the city for court. He added that they’ve had to fundraise in order to keep making the trip.

He said it’s frustrating to come all that way to see the girl appear on a video screen for a few minutes, only to learn that he’ll have to wait even longer to see her sentenced for her crime.

“What goes through my mind is like, ‘Why do you get to enjoy your life when my grandson’s was taken so soon?'” he said.

The girl will be back in Saskatoon Provincial Court on June 29, where her new lawyer is expected to set a date for a sentencing hearing.

The Crown has already indicated they will be seeking an adult sentence in the case.