12-year-old boy charged with attempted murder has been sentenced

By Lethbridge Herald on February 12, 2026.

Herald photo by ALEJANDRa PULIDO-GUZMAN A 12-year-old boy accused of attempted murder of his seven-year old brother has been sentenced.

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman

Lethbridge Herald 

A 12-year-old boy charged with the attempted murder of his seven-year-old brother has been sentenced to three years of Intensive Rehabilitative Custody and Supervision. 

The accused, who cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, has been in custody since his arrest in August. 

The matter appeared in front of Justice R. D. Anderson on Wednesday afternoon where the Crown and defence submitted a joint submission to request a three-year sentence of Intensive Rehabilitative Custody and Supervision, the maximum allowed by the Youth Criminal Justice Act. With two years of secure custody and one year of conditional supervision. 

Greg White appearing as agent for the 12-year-old boy lawyer Justin Dean, said during sentencing that Fundamentawl principles of the youth criminal Justice Act are rehabilitation and reintegration. 

“Sometimes that happens fast and sometimes with the right healing plan, like the plan being put before the court, it takes a while longer. So, this is in the best interest of (accused),” said White. 

Justice Anderson agreed with the joint submission and sentenced the 12-year-old boy to a three-year sentence of Intensive Rehabilitative Custody and Supervision, with two years of secure custody and one year of conditional supervision. 

“Obviously, a very difficult situation, but it seems like an appropriate remedy that will hopefully help (the accused) be able to come out after the three years in a much better position than what he’s in now,” said Anderson. “Particularly taking into account some of the diagnosis that were outlined.” 

The 12-year-old boy will also have to provide a DNA sample and is prohibited from possessing any weapons for a period of 10 years. 

The sentence began as of Feb. 11, 2026, and there was no mention of counting any time served towards it. 

The 12-year-old boy was originally charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault, but the aggravated assault charge was dismissed during sentencing. 

His charges stem from an incident that took place on Aug. 27, 2025 when police responded to a report that a seven-year-old boy had been stabbed at a northside residence. 

A 911 call was made after the victim’s father arrived home and located his seven-year-old son in serious medical distress. The victim’s 12-year-old brother said an unknown male had entered the home and stabbed the child before fleeing the scene. The victim was transported by EMS to Chinook Regional Hospital with critical injuries and later airlifted to the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton. 

The investigation was assumed by the Criminal Investigation Section and during a search of the property police seized a knife, believed to be used in the incident. 

As the investigation progressed, evidence was obtained indicating the 12-year-old boy stabbed his brother repeatedly while the two were alone in the home and believed he had killed him, then lied about an intruder being responsible for the attack.

During a court appearance in December 2025, while reading of the agreed statement of facts, it was determined that the 12-year-old was home alone with his brother while their father went to the store on Aug. 27, 2025, and he became enraged with his brother and had an urge to cause his brother harm. 

When the seven-year-old became aware of his brother’s anger, he ran to the father’s bedroom and hid under a blanket on top of the bed. Meanwhile the 12-year-old went to the kitchen to grab a knife and followed his brother into the bedroom. 

Once in the bedroom, the 12-year-old proceeded to stab his brother, who remained under the blanket, approximately nine times while he cried out in pain. 

The 12-year-old then stepped outside of the house to wait for his father and upon his arrival, he advised him that his brother was dead inside the house. EMS attended the residence and transported the boy to the Chinook Regional Hospital, where he was immediately taken to a trauma room. 

The attending physician advised that he suspected three major injuries, an aortic injury, brain bleed and blood in the chest cavity, each of which were life threatening and required the seven-year-old to be airlifted to Edmonton Children’s Hospital.

Doctors advised the seven-year-old had nine stab wounds covering his face, hand, arm and back, a head puncture, a severed tendon in his hand, two fractures and several scratch marks.

The 12-year-old later advised that he had an urge he could not control related to voices he hears from time to time. Police determined that he had been researching murder on YouTube prior to the attack.