“You acted in a way that was shocking to the community. You have no right to return to this community,” was what provincial court judge Steven Merrick said to Dawn Krista Kossey before the court on April 14.
Background
At approximately 4:30 p.m. on July 11, 2024, RCMP received a dispatch for a disturbance at Friendship Park in Sechelt, saying that a female (who was ultimately found to be Kossey) at the park was trying to grab a youth, claiming to be their mother.
When the five officers arrived on the scene, a group of civilians were keeping Kossey, who was "yelling and screaming," away.
The Crown stated when officers approached Kossey, she said, “Something along the lines of, ‘[f––] off, that's my daughter.’”
Kossey was arrested and taken to Sechelt Hospital.
Statements from witnesses described Kossey approaching the group of youths at the park when she started telling one of them they needed to do a DNA test to prove they were Kossey’s daughter.
The Crown said when the youth ran to their family, Kossey began to follow her and tried to grab her, making contact with another youth who was trying to stop Kossey.
During her treatment in the following months, the Crown said Kossey acknowledged what she did on July 11 2024 was wrong, admitted she was on methamphetamines at the time and went into psychosis.
In court
Kossey, who attended court virtually from a forensic hospital, pleaded guilty to assaulting one person and causing a disturbance at Friendship Park.
The court accepted the pleas and imposed a three-year probation order with several conditions, including no contact with specific individuals, a no-go area restriction from the Sunshine Coast, and mandatory counselling and medication adherence. The judge considered Kossey’s mental health history and drug use, deciding a conditional discharge was in her best interest to avoid a criminal record. The conditions aim to ensure her stability and prevent future offences.
The Crown noted that Kossey has spent “the better part of seven and a half months” in custody, at both a jail facility and a forensic mental health hospital.
The probation initially barred Kossey from going within 100 metres of Friendship Park, Kossey has agreed not to visit the entire Lower Sunshine Coast as she has no ties to it.
The defence highlighted Kossey has agreed to live in a supervised environment, adding, “We have every reason to believe, with appropriate assistance from mental health workers, programming and her residential situation, that she is in an excellent position to maintain her stability and current status.”
Noting Kossey does not have a criminal record, Merrick agreed to the conditional release.
Merrick acknowledged Kossey chose to remain in custody for a significant period, knowing she was not in a position to be in the community without posing a risk.
Merrick said the Sunshine Coast is a “relatively peaceful community,” that welcomes people, but expects those who visit to act in a “community-like manner, community-minded manner and an appropriate manner.”
Merrick ruled that Kossey must have no contact or communication with specific individuals, report to a probation officer by 3 p.m. on April 15, 2025, live at an approved location, not possess or consume alcohol or illegal drugs, and attend any assessment or counselling as directed by her probation officer and report to forensic psychiatric services.
Jordan Copp is the Coast Reporter’s civic and Indigenous affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
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