Slain woman had hard life, her aunt says

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This article was published 01/12/2011 (5395 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The aunt of a young Winnipeg woman shot and killed in Toronto says her niece led a troubled life but didn’t deserve such a tragic fate.

Leanne Freeman, 23, died from a gunshot wound near downtown Toronto early Tuesday. Toronto police say the Winnipegger recently moved to that city.

Her aunt said Leanne had links to Thunder Bay, where she grew up in and out of foster care and also had connections to Winnipeg.

“That little girl never had much of a chance at life,” said Mariann Freeman, who lives in Alberta.

She said she was “broken-hearted” by her niece’s death, especially because Leanne’s mother died within the last few years.

“(Leanne) was trying to find somewhere to call home,” Mariann said.

“It doesn’t matter what somebody does, no matter what the crime was. Prostitution, drugs… (it) doesn’t matter. Who could bring themselves to putting a gun to that beautiful girl’s head and pulling the trigger on her?”

At the time of her death, Leanne was facing charges for drug possession and drug possession for the purpose of trafficking for alleged offences in Winnipeg in June, along with possessing property obtained by crime.

A warrant had been issued for her arrest after she failed to appear in court.

Only five weeks ago, Mariann Freeman said her son had visited with his cousin, Leanne, because both lived in Ontario.

The girl had contacted family looking for help, saying she had “nowhere to go.”

“(My son) said she was doing really well. He said, ‘She’s beautiful,’ ” Mariann said. “He’s pretty shook up about it.”

Mariann said she’d like to see her niece buried in Manitoba, but the family is struggling to find the money to make that happen.

gabrielle.giroday@freepress.mb.ca