A convict who became Canada 91裸聊视频榮 youngest designated dangerous offender after sexually assaulting a three-month-old baby is seeking escorted leave from prison to attend Indigenous cultural ceremonies in Vancouver.

Tara Desousa, now 43, has applied to Federal Court to overturn a decision by B.C.91裸聊视频檚 Fraser Valley Institution to deny her 91裸聊视频渆scorted temporary absences91裸聊视频� from the federal women91裸聊视频檚 prison.

Desousa, then named Adam Laboucan, was 15 years old in 1997 when she sexually assaulted an infant she was babysitting in Quesnel, B.C. The baby required surgery to repair the injuries.

Desousa, who underwent gender-affirming operations while serving an indefinite sentence, also admitted to drowning a three-year-old boy when she was 11 years old, which the judge in the sexual assault case said was below the age of criminal responsibility.

B.C. Supreme Court Judge Victor Curtis imposed an indefinite sentence and a dangerous-offender designation in 1999 because there was no foreseeable 91裸聊视频渢ime span in which Adam Laboucan may be cured.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚n doing so, I do not intend that Mr. Laboucan be kept in prison for many years with no hope for release,91裸聊视频� the judge wrote of the then-17-year-old.

91裸聊视频淲hat is intended, and what must happen is that Mr. Laboucan be kept only so long as it is necessitated by the risk he poses.91裸聊视频�

The B.C. Court of Appeal upheld the dangerous offender designation in 2002.

Desousa91裸聊视频檚 application filed in Federal Court in Vancouver in October says she first applied for escorted leave to attend ceremonies at the Anderson Lodge 91裸聊视频渉ealing centre for women91裸聊视频� in August 2023.

The lodge is run by the Circle of Eagles Lodge Society, an Indigenous-led organization headed by CEO Merv Thomas.

Thomas said in an interview that he couldn91裸聊视频檛 comment on individual offenders, but a lot of people 91裸聊视频渃oming into our facilities are dealing with a lot of historical trauma.91裸聊视频�

He said the society takes a 91裸聊视频渉olistic91裸聊视频� approach to helping people heal through ceremonies held at the lodge, and 91裸聊视频渢hose that are involved in culture and ceremony have a greater chance at reintegrating positively into the community.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淲e leave the final judgments to the creator,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淲e don91裸聊视频檛 judge anybody that comes to us.91裸聊视频�

He said there are 91裸聊视频渟trict91裸聊视频� conditions and protocols for offenders that come to the society91裸聊视频檚 facilities, and 91裸聊视频渃ommunity safety91裸聊视频� is paramount.

In his decades working with the organization, Thomas said even he has trouble reading the files of the 91裸聊视频渂rothers and sisters91裸聊视频� who seek help from the society, reading about some of the 91裸聊视频渉orrific things91裸聊视频� they91裸聊视频檝e done.

91裸聊视频淏ut I also started reading and started to understand where they came from and some of the atrocities and the damage that was done to them,91裸聊视频� he said.

91裸聊视频淚 understand and I see both sides and it91裸聊视频檚 very difficult a lot of times to put our judgments aside. But at the same time, we work with them and we believe that everybody has an opportunity for change.91裸聊视频�

Desousa91裸聊视频檚 Vancouver-based lawyer Caroline North declined to comment on the Federal Court application.

Desousa has had several attempts for parole denied, most recently in June 2024.

The Parole Board of Canada decision said the assault victim and their 91裸聊视频渇amily have suffered pain, anxiety and anguish and long-term emotional impacts resulting from your offending.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淓ach time you come up for parole, they are haunted by your offending and the damage you inflicted on their defenceless son/grandson,91裸聊视频� the decision said.

The board decision said Desousa was the victim of 91裸聊视频渆xtreme91裸聊视频� abuse as a child, bullied at school, diagnosed with 91裸聊视频渟everal disorders,91裸聊视频� and exhibited 91裸聊视频渧iolent and sexual behaviour91裸聊视频� around other children.

It said Desousa91裸聊视频檚 case management team believed that escorted temporary absences were 91裸聊视频渢he next logical step in reintegration and gradual release.91裸聊视频�

However, the board ruled that Desousa presented 91裸聊视频渁n undue risk to society,91裸聊视频� if she was paroled.

A profile in Desousa91裸聊视频檚 name is listed on Canadian Inmates Connect, which connects convicts with potential pen pals.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e been incarcerated since I was 15 years old. I was abused extensively as a child and did not know that this was not normal behaviour,91裸聊视频� says the profile, which includes photos. 91裸聊视频淚 know now and I am remorseful. I have never been given a chance to have proper interaction with the world growing up.91裸聊视频�

Thomas said inmates approved for escorted absences to attend the lodge have to go through a 91裸聊视频渞igorous91裸聊视频� process, but those who participate in ceremonies and access other supports from elders and counsellors see the greatest chance of reform and rehabilitation.

91裸聊视频淲hen people embrace their culture, that91裸聊视频檚 where we have seen the most change in people,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭hey have to do the work themselves because if they don91裸聊视频檛 do the work, then we can91裸聊视频檛 change them.91裸聊视频�