Woman convicted of smothering daughter in Surrey, B.C., files appeal

VANCOUVER – A woman found guilty of smothering her eight-year-old daughter and sentenced to life without chance of parole for 15 years is appealing the conviction and sentence.

Lisa Batstone’s lawyer Eric Gottardi and the British Columbia Prosecution Service confirmed Thursday she had filed appeals with the B.C. Court of Appeal.

B.C. Supreme Court Justice Catherine Murray said while delivering her sentence earlier this month that Batstone killed her daughter Teagan in a “selfish” and “deliberate” act.

Murray said Batstone’s goal was to hurt her ex-husband when she held a plastic bag over the little girl’s nose and mouth until she died on Dec. 10, 2014, in Surrey, B.C.

Batstone was convicted of second-degree murder, which carries an automatic life sentence, but the Crown asked that she be ineligible to apply for parole for 16 to 18 years, while the defence sought 10-year term.

Murray said although Batstone likely had borderline personality disorder, it didn’t significantly diminish her culpability and she told several lies to psychiatrists in an effort to be found not criminally responsible for the murder due to a mental disorder.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2019.