A Sarnia woman convicted in the overdose death of a man over two years ago has been sentenced to three years in prison.
Karen Ebel-Savage, 59, was handed the penitentiary term, minus 12 days prior custody, in the Superior Court of Justice on Thursday.
She pleaded guilty to criminal negligence causing death and drug trafficking after Daniel Lapointe overdosed at an Indian Road residence on August 9, 2017. The 38-year-old man died after taking cocaine that had been laced with deadly fentanyl.
The victim's mother Linda Lapointe said she's pleased with the ruling, but doesn't think they'll ever get closure.
"I don't think it'll ever be behind us. You think about them on their birthday, you think about the silly things they did, and they're always your son," she said. "I can't say [the decision provided] comfort. I don't wish that on anybody, but she did something that she had been doing for a long time and was aware of what it could do, so that was a good conclusion that the judge gave."
The victim's brother, Don Lapointe, told Blackburn News outside the Sarnia courthouse that three years is not enough.
"His wife lost a husband, his step-kids lost a dad, my mother lost a son, I lost a brother, my kids lost their uncle. There was far more at stake than her just making a few bucks," he said. "How many lifetimes is he going to miss? His whole lifetime. Everybody who was spending time with him, none of us are going to have that again. She should have the same fate. No life left for her. Spending the rest of her life in prison wouldn't be enough."
Justice Jonathon George said Savage had done very little, if anything, to address her substance abuse issues while the case was before the courts. He continued, saying this was not a one-time event, and that Savage acknowledged she was a drug dealer and had been for some time, which George said propped up other addicts. Justice George said willful blindness was the basis of the plea, but that Savage surely knew there was something askew about the cocaine, referring to the drug as "a real head-spinner," and then still decided to deal drugs to Mr. Lapointe.
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Daniel Lapointe's mother Linda speaks with reporters outside Sarnia courthouse:
[audio mp3="https://blackburnnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Linda-Lapointe.mp3"][/audio]
Daniel Lapointe's brother Don speaks with reporters outside Sarnia courthouse:
[audio mp3="https://blackburnnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Dylan-Lapointe.mp3"][/audio]
-With files from Dave Dentinger.