Mom vows to support accused teen

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This article was published 10/05/2023 (852 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The biological mother of a 16-year-old accused of attacking teens with a machete at CF Polo Park, and robbing pizza delivery drivers, wishes she could have done more to care for him.

The woman claimed her son, who cannot be publicly identified because he is a minor, was alienated from her after he entered the child welfare system at a young age.

“Unfortunately, due to the circumstances, I was unable to give this child the love and affection he deserved and needed before things got worse for him,” she wrote in an email Tuesday to the Free Press. “I’m extremely sorry for the victims and everyone involved with the recent events that have happened.”

The woman vowed to be there for her son during and after the court process.

“I will continue to work with my son and support him during this difficult time, no matter what, because that is what mothers do,” she said.

Police said a machete-wielding suspect stabbed four teenage boys at the Winnipeg mall at about 8:30 p.m. May 5.

The victims, ages 13 and 14, were attacked after the suspect reportedly tried to rob one of the boys of his running shoes, which he was wearing.

A witness had told the Free Press a masked male who was wearing black clothing pulled out a machete and began swinging it at the teens on the ground floor of the mall.

He said the suspect “slashed” all four boys and ran off.

Two victims were hospitalized with injuries to their upper and lower bodies, said police.

Tactical support team officers arrested the 16-year-old just west of the mall less than an hour after the attack.

Two drivers were stabbed during hold-ups on Ross Avenue in the West Alexander area and Dubuc Street in Norwood East, said police.

One of the victims, a 23-year-old man, had to undergo surgery for an upper-body injury.

Detectives from the major crimes unit are looking for additional suspects in the robberies.

The 16-year-old is also accused of spray-painting garages in March, said police.

His mother was in court, along with other family members, when he was remanded into custody during a brief appearance Monday.

He is charged with a dozen offences, including five counts of assault with a weapon and four counts of robbery.

During a phone interview Tuesday, the mother told the Free Press she was “extremely sad” when she learned about the allegations.

She was already concerned about her son’s well-being, after seeing pictures of him holding a machete and bear spray last month.

The woman, who hasn’t spoken to her son since his arrest, said he was a runaway leading up to his alleged crimes.

She expressed hope he will receive any support or resources that are required.

“I know the things he has been accused of are very horrendous acts,” the mother said.

She raised concerns Tuesday about the way he entered the child welfare system.

The woman said she thought she would eventually regain custody of her son, but that didn’t happen.

“I wanted him,” she said. “I wanted nothing more to be with him.”

The mother said she has taken steps to better herself, and she should be able to have a relationship with her son.

She is mulling what-ifs, while she awaits his next court appearance.

“If only he was allowed to have a relationship with me, I feel things could (have) turned out very differently for him,” the woman wrote in the email.

Police are asking anyone with information about the robbery suspects to call investigators at 204-986-6219 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS (8477).

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @chriskitching