A woman who struck her 13-year-old son while intoxicated will have to wait until March to learn her fate.
In Inuvik territorial court Nov. 22, the woman pleaded guilty to one count of assault. Her sentencing has been adjourned until later in the year to allow for a pre-sentence report to be completed. The woman will not be named to protect the identify of the victim.
Crown prosecutor Angie Paquin told court RCMP received a call that a 13-year-old boy had been assaulted by his mother. Police met the boy at his grandparents, where he told the officer his mother was intoxicated and he had tried to help her get to bed when she struck him in the head.
He told police he felt uncomfortable with the situation and left. He also told police this was the only time she had ever hit him.
Police located the woman walking down the road a short time later and arrested her. The woman did not remember the incident and Paquin said the incident was out of character and asked for a conditional discharge.
"She was surprised," said Paquin. "She did not believe she had struck him. The son indicated clearly that nothing else ever happened to him."
Judge Bernadette Schmaltz pointed out this was not the first time the woman had been in court for assault.
"It's not out of character. It's much worse if your fourth assault is on your son," she said. "It's escalated. I have never seen a case where someone has assaulted their child where a discharge was given."