12 year old girl and 23 year old boyfriend charged w/ murdering her family in Medicine Hat
I couldn't believe my eyes when I read this:
A Medicine Hat couple and their eight-year-old son were found slain in their home on April 23.
Their 12-year-old daughter and her boyfriend, 23-year-old Jeremy Steinke, were arrested and each charged with three counts of first-degree murder.
What I want to know is how a twelve year old can be considered a girlfriend to a 23 yr old?!
Besides the horror of the murders, the first thing that screams at me when reading this article is the question:
What was going on in this household that such a thing would go tolerated, or unnoticed?
Thanks to Carrie's comment to this post, though unstated in the article, this dating arrangement was neither unnoticed or tolerated by the 12 year old's household. Apparently her parents grounded her and forbid the relationship. The murders are said to be motivated by revenge. What is this world coming too?
This child should be apprehended, but arrested? She is below the age of consent, and if she was 16, he's still over 5 years her senior. If she isn't old enough to consent to sex, how can she be old enough to be charged with murder?
He is undergoing psychiatric review to see if he is even fit enough for trial!!! What about HER? She's a CHILD!
for the article
Third person charged in Medicine Hat slayings
Last updated May 4 2006 09:33 AM MDT
CBC News
Police arrested a third suspect Wednesday in connection with a triple homicide last month in Medicine Hat, Alta.
Kacy Lancaster, 19, of Medicine Hat, is charged with being an accessory after the fact to murder.
Kacy Lancaster, 19, of Medicine Hat,
is charged with being an accessory
after the fact to murder. (CBC)
Lancaster appeared in court Thursday morning and was remanded in custody. She will be back in court May 11 for a bail hearing.
A Medicine Hat couple and their eight-year-old son were found slain in their home on April 23.
Their 12-year-old daughter and her boyfriend, 23-year-old Jeremy Steinke, were arrested and each charged with three counts of first-degree murder.
At a bail hearing Tuesday, Steinke was ordered to undergo a psychiatric review to see if he's fit to stand trial.
The 12-year-old girl, whose identity is protected by the Youth Criminal Justice Act, made a brief appearance in youth court on Monday. Her case was put over until June 2.
The three victims were remembered Tuesday at a church service in Sudbury, Ont. Nearly 200 people gathered for the funeral.
What was going on in this household that such a thing would go tolerated, or unnoticed?
How can you say this…It wasn’t going unnoticed, her parents had grounded her, and forbid her to see him….this was their revenge. Why they didn’t just run away together…why murder your parents and little brother. I’m having a hard time making any sense of it. It’s a statement to all parents as far as I’m concerned…
Thank you Carrie for setting me straight. This information was not available in the news articles I read on the subject, which is why I was wondering.
I’m still upset that a 23 year old can be described in the media as this girls boyfriend. I thought such a thing was considered child abuse. Getting a child in a adult child relationship is terrible enough, but to encourage her to participate in the killing of her family is beyond my ability to grasp.
Thanks again for the correction.
Hazel.
“Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, and spirit When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and reek havoc. Spiritual presences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation’s history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact. What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. The real villain lies within our own hearts.
These words were written by Darrell Scott and how true they are.
I agree with what you say Chris except for the God part, you dont have to be religious to be spiritual and moral, God is not a necessary part of living. Otherwise it claims that anyone that doesn’t believe in God is going to turn to hatred and violence. That couldn’t be more wrong, religion has caused so many wars and so much violence. To claim that honoring god will make you more moral is just speculation.
Hey I just wanted to say thank you for not being over judgemental like most people are when they found out about this. I’m “the 12 year old girl’s” friend, and most people make so many judgments on her, her parents, and her friends. Thank you.
Jackie, thank you for visiting and telling me how you feel. It is such a tragedy, and I am so sorry for what you and your friends must be going through. I am especially concerned for your friend, and wish her nothing but the support and help she needs and deserves.
That goes double for you sweetie, it is refreshing to meet someone as empathetic as you.
I agree, too many people have been busy wagging tongues and fingers rather than looking for solutions to real problems.
Take care.
Hazel.
how can you have any empathy for her? just because she is 12? i was twelve once too, i remember how much i hated my parents but i knew how much i loved them too. i never would even think about doing harm to them. she had great parents, and she had a great household. she herself was spoiled. why didnt they run away together? because jeremy was still on probation for kidnapping from the last victim, my ex girlfriend holly. if you live in medicine hat you would remember the girl that went missing and later on found when her and stienke came back from bc. her father had a stroke and thats why they were looking for her. at the time she was 14 and he was 18 or 19. hes always liked the young ones. i remember stienke, hes not all there. i dont know the girl. but she slit her own brothers throat, and she poisoned them so that they could manage to kill them. her dad is 6′1″ and about 240lbs. no little 23yr old pimply faced 120lbs could do that. and before they even moved to medicine hat she had tried to poison them before. i’ll tell you this. this is sad. it is a tragedy. i wish it never happened. but dont sympothize for the 12yr old nor the 23 yr old. they wanted to have an adult relationship they should be treated as adults. just to bad we dont have the death penalty anymore.
Hello isawitcoming,
Thank you for sharing your point of view.
You ask how I can have empathy for this twelve year old child.
It’s easy really. She is a CHILD.
I do not condone what she did, I can’t even concieve of what her reasons may have been. But I am capable of feeling grief for her young little life, and the choices she’s made, or not made. I feel pain for her and her situation, because there is no way in hell this tragedy should have occurred.
In my opinion, it is not the child who is at fault but the adults that supported and fostered her child-adult relationships (steinke not being her first older “boyfriend”) Even his friends were like Dude, that’s sick! but still, they supported the “couple” because they were “in love”.
That’s what is sick! And its this sick type of societal attitude that lies at the root of this murder.
You remember being twelve too, and hating your parents but loving them too… I also remember being twelve, and loving my parents. The thought of hating wouldn’t have even occurred to me.
Did you have a steinke waiting to pounce on your twelve year old self all genie like ready to help you make all your “fantasies” come true? Were you able to resist his/her charms? Have you been in this girls shoes? Neither have I, thank God.
As far as I am concerned this girl, this child is every bit as much a victim as those she helped to cut down.
Do you honestly think a twelve year old girl could plan and execute such a grisely murder without adult help? (two adults btw)
You say you don’t know her, but describe her as spoiled, and from a good family.
How do you know this? Does it seem reasonable to you that good family would include a homocidal maniac?
Does it seem reasonable to you that Steinke was not this childs first older BF? That at the age of 11 she was dating a 16 year old, with her parent’s full knowledge and blessing?
Legally she is not even capable of entering a sexual relationship at her age, which makes her and Steinke’s relationship one of sexual predation by an adult on a child, even if she did not see it that way.
She is a child, and as a child cannot be expected to make the same critical decisions as adults, and if expected to do so, well this is the sort of tragedy that happens.
And that is why I am able to feel empathy for her.
Twelve year olds shouldn`t feel they need to gun down their parents to be with their boyfriend, no matter what his age. While I agree that he probably coddled her into the killing, she knew what was wrong and right.
I think she`s no child. By the time you are 12 you have reached a point where you are aware that killing is wrong and punishable. What she did was her choice and I think that she should be locked up. And her boyfriend too.
I agree Mo. These “children” that we as adults continue to make excuses for is backfiring badly and us as adults can’t seem to figure out that we are giving them easy outs. What child doesn’t know that if you give them a swat on the butt not to call child welfare these days? God forbid you wash your child’s mouth out with soap after he/she curses worse than a sailor, by telling their grandmother to shut the **** up every time she tells him /her to show respect to elders. Hazel, do you honestly belive that the 12 year old MURDERER isn’t sitting in juvie knowing full well that there is no harsh punishment for her because, as you continually point out “she’s only 12″. Until we as adults face the fact that our kids are becoming more mature at an earlier age we are going to continue to hear about such things as the Richardson murders. Think about it, as a child these days there are NO consequences for their actions, because as Hazel reminds us “she’s only 12″. Well, what age is appropriate to decide when a person should be responsible for their actions? The law say’s 16, I say BS. If this 12 year old knew that seeing “perv boy” Jeramie came with the punishment of losing her use of the computer, losing her make up, and being grounded, ( by the way that is such harsh punishment, it’s just barbaric to punsh a child so HARSHLY ) then she most certainly knew that cold blooded murder of her own family would most definatley be harshly punishable, (for anyone over 16 mind you). Let’s wake up these kids to reality, instead of making excuses for them.
Hi Mitch,
If you do a little research into the people sitting in jails across Canada and the US, you’ll find an overwhelming majority experienced violence and sexual abuse as children. From these early experiences many end up involved in ran to the streets because for whatever reason’s they couldn’t rely on being safe at home.
Children do not become blood lusting ferocious killing machines because they are in a good environment and have become spoiled, or haven’t been given boundaries or a swat on the butt for being insolent.
The twelve year old in question had been exhibiting signals for some time that she was in trouble, mentally emotionally and sexually.
She writes about sexual experiences way beyond a “normal” twelve year old experience. She is a classic case of ACTING OUT, acting out the rage that was instilled in a child by means I can only guess at.
Earlier media reports quote a 16 year old ex-boyfriend of the girl. A boy who dated her a year or two ago, so when she was 11 or 10. This boy had been okay’s by the parents, and even invited over to take part in family events.
I have serious doubts about how 10-11-12 year olds process the whole dating scene, and wonder if the girls anger over her parents “hypocracy” could possibly have some genesis in her inability to understand why at 11 it is okay to date a 15 year old approved by her parents, but at twelve she’s suddenly deemed too young to date a 23 year old.
I am grieved for all the pain the Richardson family endured up to their murders, I am still grieved for a child who is responsible for the slaughter of her only parents and brother. Its awful unthinkable. But I refuse to sink to knee jerk reactionism against someone so young, and so ill.
Dr. Phil often discusses his professional opinion that out of control children are the symptom of an out of control family environment.
It is not right, in my opinion to blame her completely for the state she’s found herself in. She didn’t go so far off the edge all by herself. She was part of a family, a community, she went to school, had friends and a thick social life. The blame of this situation lies with everyone, everyone who had an opportunity to help this family and this child, and didn’t.
IMO, calling for her blood is simply a way to alleviate our own guilt and to trick ourselves into thinking yeah see we are doing something about teen violence. Even though the solution is no better than staunching a flood with a band aid.
“Do you honestly think a twelve year old girl could plan and execute such a grisely murder without adult help? (two adults btw)”
Nope, but on the surface it appears that twelve year old girl put a good amount of effort into getting that ball rolling:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2007/06/28/medicinehat-trial.html
Of course, I’d wait for more evidence to support that conclusion, but it does seem to be stacking up. That being said I have read some things that this guy messaged to her which directly linked murder with a positive connotation, so I’m not saying he’s a poor innocent party or anything like that.
As for the 17 year old woman, I’m waiting on more evidence for that one too, as far as I’m concerned being hopped up on cocaine isn’t exactly a good excuse for being an accessory to murder after the fact.
I agree with Hazel’s opinions on abuse and parenting being a critical factor in criminals to this date; however I do not accept it as an excuse either.
I also question the statistic on the amount of individuals in jail who say they experienced abuse as a child. For one, “abuse” can be a rather broad term, there are some that consider a simple spanking, leaving no red marks, and administered by a person who is not angry at the child, to be abusive. There are others that strongly disagree. For two, we have shown time and time again that our courts actually care for those that were abused; as such it stands to reason that a person who is willing to kill someone, might just be willing to say something to save his/her own skin. Some youth have alleged crimes of sexual assault by adults, to save their own skin. The first thing we do is completely ruin that persons life on front page, a year later we have a column on page 6 about how it was a lie.
The only abuse allegations that can be backed up are those where the adult has been through a trial and has been convicted. Everything else is pure speculation, no matter how reasonable it might seem.
Another problem I have with this is that it puts all the responsibility on the parents for everything, it does not take into account external factors such as media, peers, and unknown situations. Similarly while Mitch might be too quick to throw the responsibility on the kid, the opposite viewpoint can be too quick to blame the parents, people who in most cases (if they’re still alive) are NOT on trial for crimes, and by all rights if they didn’t have a blood relationship would have nothing to do with any of it.
I personally believe that every person is responsible for their own actions, abused or not. I have known a lot of youth who came from EXTREMELY abusive backgrounds, but did not kill anyone. I think it’s high time we started holding youth accountable for what youth are doing, if we keep moving on this trend of blaming parents for absolutely everything, the amount of youth violence that we are seeing might just continue to escalate. It also seems that there are a fair bit of experts that agree with me. Some are saying that youth are lashing out simply because they can, because they feel empowered, because nothing can happen to them. The youth crime laws in this country aren’t even a deterrent, when I mentioned this to a friend their first response was “She’ll get a slap on the wrist”, now does that come from hate, or experience?
I like Dr. Phil, I think he’s a great man who does great work, but I also think he hasn’t experienced everything. His methods may work in certain circumstances, but it stands to reason that they won’t work in all situations. I would like to know how much influence his son had pressed upon him by local street gangs going to his school. If he’s ever had a gun stuck in his face, if he’s ever had to sell drugs for money, if he’s ever had to make the choice to prostitute himself because his father or mother was at work all day making minimum wage which barely covered the cost of rent, let alone food.
Peace and love,
distatica.
I don’t know what age they started teaching her math, but I can and for most of my life always have been able to tell the difference between 4 and 11 years. That being said, perhaps “hypocracy” and “mistake” aren’t exactly synonymous, last I checked making a mistake as a parent wasn’t a crime, premeditated murder is. And why blame the parents of hypocracy when we have [that I'm aware of at least] absolutely no evidence to suggest they didn’t try explaining this to her? I can’t imagine that telling her it’s ok, murder is a bad, she’s a bad girl, but we understand because of the hypocracy her parents dealt her, is really going to solve any more problems than “staunching a flood with a bandaid”. Also, how much of a role did her brutally murdered 8 year old brother play in this hypocracy? I suppose he was the leader in instigating this great injustice?
Hi Distatica.
Are you decent?
Just to be clear for everyone reading, I’m not saying the girl bears no responsibility for her brutal actions. I’m saying their is a cause for everything, and calling for her to be burned at the stake or lynched as some would describe it is not my idea of a good time, or a productive exercise.
Also it seems a lot of people in this discussion don’t seem to understand that a twelve year old’s brain, a twenty three year old’s brain operate very differently.
PBS Science-the brain
Quote:
So if its cruel and unusual to assume criminal responsibility for his crimes, how can we expect a twelve year old to measure up to societies standards for adult behavior?
She needs punishment, she needs to be locked up, I would prefer her to be locked up in a facility that would address her psychological needs. But to try her as an adult, to call out for her blood to wish for the return of the death penalty so people can watch her fry? That’s just barbarously immature, imo.
I misunderstood, or took it in the wrong context:
I agree 100%.
By the way, the blog that you pointed us to in another post [which doesn't have comments enabled] located at:
http://optymyst.blogspot.com/2006/04/runaway-devils.html
looks to be closed to uninvited users. I even logged in with no luck, any idea how to get an invite there? I’ll try contacting the author directly if possible. It’s been referenced in numerous places so I am interested in taking a peek.
Oh wow, no I don’t know how to get an invite. Perhaps she started getting a bunch of yahoos posting and changed policies.
Darn, I absolutely loved that site!
She needs to spend the rest of her life in prison. Her little brother did not have a chance to grow up and thats a shame. She did not think about her family. They may have tried to stop her from seeing that older man and she got a little upset.But killing at 12 is uncalled for. Thanks
You’re welcome.
This is horrible! I’m not sure about the 12 year old being charged with murder, but I have to be honest, but this 12 year old MUST have been somewhat aware of what she was getting herself into! Seriously, out of all the 12 year olds I have known, and when I was 12, and everyone else I knew was 12, we were pretty aware of what we could get ourselves into and such.
But here’s the real question: WHERE DOES A 12 YEAR OLD MEET A 23 YEAR OLD MAN?!
Excellent question Aciren!
From what I have read there are two possible places this child met Steinke.
Online, and at a local all ages dance/gig.
Its possible they met online first and hooked up at a local venue later. But I do not know for a fact.
If anyone else does know, please consider commenting.
Thank -you.
They both should be put to death
i can’t believe this! This girl and her boy friend kill her innocent and people are debating weather to charge her for it or not. she may be 12 years old but she still convicted in a federal crime and killed her family!
Hi Lex, reason you can’t believe people are debating weather to charge her for it or not is probably because no one was making that debate.
Please re read this thread, the concern wasn’t whether or not she should be charged, it was where she should be held. In jail with hardened criminals or in a secure psychiatric facility.
The other outrage being discussed here is how her ‘Boyfriend’ a twenty three year old MAN was not being held accountable for his part in
A) corruption of a child
B) statutory rape
C) Murder
I think that for a 12 year old, a 16 year old…ANY child to brutally kill their family, the right thing would be psyciatric help. No one in their right mind can kill their whole family…somethings not right psycologically there. THE GIRL NEEDS HELP!!
Well put Beautiful, I couldn’t agree with you more.
She just killed her parents rate in front of her brother and she said u will tell that I did it and he was like no and she was like u are a snich now I am going to have to kill u
Vanessa, your posted comments do not agree with the investigation. She killed her brother upstairs in his bedroom while stinke attacked her parents. What she said, what he said as you’ve said isn’t part of any transcript I’ve read. Course I may have missed it. Basicly my point is how do you know what was said between brother and sister? Were you there?
I’m a substitute teacher & full time artist. I work in suburban schools as well as inner-city volunteer facilities. I work with children of all ages, from diverse backgrounds, but in my volunteer work, I mainly work with troubled kids aged 12-15 who have been in arrested. I can tell you that in my experience, in the experiences of my coworkers, a twelve year old understands right from wrong, & understands consequence. I was brutally abused as a child. I have never harmed another human being. In my experience of knowing others who have backgrounds similar to mine, they have never harmed another human being. The defense of past abuse is a poor one, most especially for a twelve year old. A child being abused will hurt a smaller child or an animal. Or themselves. I have worked with some children who have done bad things & have even jumped in to try & stop further bad things from happening. Are these kids sick? They are just as sick as the grownup criminals of today that they may become tomorrow. I certaonly believe you can teach a child who steals or bullies another child that these actions are wrong. However, & trust me on this, a child that kills & gets away with it becomes a stronger adult who kills more brutally. That child will only grow to be a more dangerous person. That person should never be released back into society. If therapy is well received then perhaps the best repayment to society would be to remain behind bars & try to help those kids who ended up in there that people like my friends couldn’t help. As for the 23 year old man, he should forever here the cries of a mother, a father, &a little boy gasping for just one, one final breath. He should have to hear this suffering every day of what I would hope to be a short life.
I have just read this book. And was shocked. (I lived in the states this whole time.) And I think that this child should be in psychiatric care till she realizes that what she did is wrong. And to realize that dating and “loving” this 23 yr old man is wrong. I read the book they both laughed and bragged about it. What does that tell you? That they are both seriously messed in the head. I know at 12 you are capable of knowing that killing is wrong. But where do you think she is getting this urge from? The man thinks he is a 3oo yr old lycan. He even told a friend not to go walking with him becuase he could rip him to shreds. Many have said that this girl should have the death penalty. Yet the man she looks up to and adores belives that killing is natural from is lycan instincts. I think he influenced her into this dark world and it has gone terribly wrong for a family, community and this great country. We need to educate our children and protect them from strange people who prey on the young. I have read Stineke’s background and it’s not good either. It just goes to show that this vicious cycle never stops. Our chilred need to be aware that there is fu**ed-up people out there and to not do crazy sh’t just to fit in.
sorry for the language it just a heated topic.
Hello AJ and welcome. An artist a teacher and a youth worker? Awesome! Your life sounds fantastic. I agree twelve year olds generally know right from wrong. However I also know their ability for critical thinking isn’t fully developed for another decade or so. regardless, this particular child is particularily ill. Psychologically. Her issues aren’t typical of twelve year olds. I can’t even begin to speculate what brought her to the edge and over, maybe in time she will help educators and physchologists understand better how to help other children like her before they go on a self destructive murdering spree. You wrote:
Our children need to be aware that there is fu**ed-up people out there and to not do crazy sh’t just to fit in.
I hear ya sister, loud and clear!
Dear Jus, I didn’t know a book was out already! I’ll have to check it out. Thanks for the heads up. As for the girl, I think she is where she needs to be, in a psychiatric facility. Will she ever realize what she did was wrong? I don’t know, I think she is seriously ill and have no idea how she could ever “recover”. If she does become rehabilitated, whatever that might mean in her case, she still needs to be incarcerated. At least, thats my honest opinion.