The mother of a Surrey 10-year-old who was abducted and killed in October 2000 says she is 乌鸦传媒渂eyond disappointed乌鸦传媒� that her daughter乌鸦传媒檚 killer has been granted escorted leaves from custody.

Jody Aspin said the decision regarding Shane Ertmoed was made Tuesday (May 4), following a virtual parole board hearing.

乌鸦传媒淐learly, watching him today, all he was concerned about was what he could get for himself. He showed no remorse. Not an ounce,乌鸦传媒� Aspin said.

Ertmoed is serving a life sentence for first-degree murder in connection with Heather乌鸦传媒檚 death. The youngster was playing outside with some children during a stay at her father乌鸦传媒檚 townhouse complex in Cloverdale when a neighbour convinced her to go inside his apartment.

When Ertmoed tried to sexually assault Heather, she struggled and he killed her. Her body was found weeks later in Alouette Lake.

Ertmoed was found guilty in 2002, and handed a life sentence with no chance of parole until 2027.

Aspin said Tuesday that following Ertmoed乌鸦传媒檚 conviction, no one told her that he could be applying for day parole on a regular basis 乌鸦传媒� 乌鸦传媒渨hich he did, the entire time,乌鸦传媒� she said.

(Parole Board of Canada officials clarified that offenders may apply for Escorted Temporary Absences at any time in their sentence. Ertmoed is not eligible for day parole, however, until Nov. 3, 2022, followed by full parole eligibility as of Nov. 3, 2025. His sentence does not expire.)

乌鸦传媒淪o at no point has myself or my family been able to even try and start to heal, because he feels that he should be allowed outside jail.乌鸦传媒�

In a statement read during the hearing and shared that afternoon with Peace Arch News, Aspin told the board that Ertmoed, now 43, 乌鸦传媒渘ot only took my daughter乌鸦传媒檚 life, he took mine.乌鸦传媒�

She said Ertmoed乌鸦传媒檚 rights died with her daughter and appealed to the board to stop allowing him to continue victimizing her and her family.

乌鸦传媒淚 wake up and go to work and that乌鸦传媒檚 all I can do,乌鸦传媒� Aspin told Peace Arch News. 乌鸦传媒淚 think about her from the moment I wake up till the moment I go to bed.乌鸦传媒�

According to Rebecca Darnell, a Langley lawyer who attended Tuesday乌鸦传媒檚 hearing to support Aspin 乌鸦传媒� with whom she developed a friendship through the ordeal of Heather乌鸦传媒檚 disappearance and murder 乌鸦传媒� Ertmoed asked for escorted leaves from William Head Institution in Victoria 乌鸦传媒渇or the purpose of assisting his rehabilitation and reintegration into the community.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淗e wants to work at non-profits,乌鸦传媒� Darnell said. 乌鸦传媒淚 was not aware that that was part of the plan and, in fact, the victims were not aware of the plan.乌鸦传媒�

Darnell said other information disclosed during the hearing that concerned her included that Ertmoed did not participate in any programs during the first decade of his incarceration, and that he hadn乌鸦传媒檛 considered medication to reduce his sex drive and manage his risk level because he is still young enough to have a family.

About about being a murderer, Ertmoed told the board 乌鸦传媒渉e was not proud of what happened to Heather,乌鸦传媒� Darnell said.

Darnell said she was not convinced that Ertmoed was sincere.

乌鸦传媒淚 get that we don乌鸦传媒檛 lock people up, we don乌鸦传媒檛 throw away the key, we don乌鸦传媒檛 hang them,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淭his guy, when I heard him, I just could not detect any credible empathy from him. He was controlled and he was deliberate. He shared as much as he was forced to share.乌鸦传媒�

Heather乌鸦传媒檚 childhood best friend also gave a statement to the board, sharing the lasting impact that her friend乌鸦传媒檚 death had on her own life, and her concerns for the community乌鸦传媒檚 safety should Ertmoed be allowed out.

Katherine Charette told PAN she found the board乌鸦传媒檚 decision to grant Ertmoed乌鸦传媒檚 application 乌鸦传媒渞eally shocking,乌鸦传媒� and said Ertmoed乌鸦传媒檚 expressions of regret don乌鸦传媒檛 hold up.

乌鸦传媒淚 feel if he was truly sorry乌鸦传媒� he wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 ask for this,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淗e would sit and do his time till the day he died.乌鸦传媒�

Darnell said Ertmoed乌鸦传媒檚 escorted leaves are to take effect after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, and be in effect from Monday to Friday, for no more than eight hours per day, for a period of one year.

Parole board officials said such escorted leaves are approved/authorized when it is considered that the offender 乌鸦传媒渨ill not present an undue risk during the absence.乌鸦传媒�