Saskatchewan woman who starved girl to death granted supervised community visits

VANCOUVER – A Saskatchewan woman who was found guilty of starving to death a girl in her care and abusing the girl’s sister has been granted escorted temporary absences from a British Columbia prison.

The Parole Board of Canada says in a written decision that it has granted Tammy Goforth supervised visits in the community for personal development purposes.

She will be allowed to participate in Indigenous cultural activities, including a spirit bath, and to visit a fast food drive-thru.

The board says cultural and spiritual activities are an important part in her healing plan, with escorted temporary absences being the next step.

Goforth was convicted in 2016 of second-degree murder and criminal negligence causing bodily harm and sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 17 years.

The sisters, who were in foster care with Goforth and her husband in Regina, were rushed to hospital in 2012 and found to be severely malnourished, dehydrated and covered with bruises.

The four-year-old died of a brain injury following cardiac arrest and her sister, who was two at the time, survived.