Allan Schoenborn granted unescorted leave into community
Posted March 13, 2020 1:21 pm.
Last Updated March 13, 2020 2:28 pm.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Allan Schoenborn, the mentally ill man who killed his children in Merritt 12 years ago, has been granted more freedom by the BC Review Board.
Schoenborn is now able to go into the community at the discretion of the Colony Farm director, according to the victims’ family spokesperson, David Teixeira.
If Schoenborn goes on leave, Teixeira says there is no condition for the psychiatric hospital to notify the RCMP, family, or community.
Allan Schoenborn, the man who killed his children in #Merritt in 2008, has been granted more freedom from psychiatric hospital in #Coquitlam. His lawyer, Rishi Gill, tells @news1130 he’s still undergoing treatment,so any un-escorted leaves must be approved by hospital director.
— Marcella Bernardo (@Bernardo1130) March 13, 2020
“It’s disappointing. This is a man who has had a life-long history of violence, has a life-long history of anger, has drug and alcohol issues, and, for some reason, the BC Review Board keeps fighting for him to get more and more freedoms,” Teixeria says.
While the decision has been released, the review board won’t be providing the reasoning for another few weeks.
Rishi Gill, Schoenborn’s lawyer, says the ruling indicates the review board agrees with his client’s treatment team for absences on a temporary basis. However, Gill stresses this does not mean Schoenborn will be in the community anytime soon.
“At no point is Mr. Schoenborn allowed, based on this ruling, to go out unescorted. That’s just not going to happen in the present circumstances,” Gill explains.
He adds Schoenborn still has to make significant progress, and, after a lengthy analysis from his treatment team, that recommendation would still have to go through the director before he goes into the community.
“I think we’re a ways away from that happening yet,” Gill says.
Schoenborn was found not criminally responsible for the 2008 killing of his three children and has been on forensic hold for 12 years.
With files Marcella Bernardo
