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December 16, 2014 (Vol. 39 No. 100)
V O I C E
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W H I T E
R O C K
A N D
S O U T H
S U R R E Y
w w w. p e a c e a r c h n e w s . c o m
Santa’s helpers: Members of a Semiahmoo Peninsula book club are asking for donations that they can fill their “Santa sacks” with. The women will donate the bags of goodies to the Front Room Shelter. i see page A9
Guide in Today’s I Pages B1-B ssue 24
Two child homicides days apart Psych assessment ordered
Police search for answers
Mother charged with murder
Teen killed in altercation
Tracy Holmes, Sarah Massah & Alex Browne
Tracy Holmes, Kevin Diakiw & Sarah Massah
Staff Reporters
Staff Reporters/Black Press
A South Surrey mother has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the discovery Wednesday of her eightyear-old daughter’s body. Staff Sgt. Jennifer Pound of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team confirmed the charge against Lisa Deanne Batstone, 41, just after 11 a.m. the next day. Batstone’s daughter, Teagan, was found deceased in the trunk of a car in the 13900block of 35A Avenue, a cul de sac off of Crescent Road, around noon Wednesday. The distraught defendant, who was arrested at the scene, made a brief appearance in Surrey Provincial Court Thursday afternoon, where Judge Donald Gardner ordered a psychiatric assessment after a request from court-appointed defence counsel Kelly Johnston. Investigators believe the girl – a student at Rosemary Heights Elementary and Batstone’s only child – was killed elsewhere. Teagan’s father, Ottawa resident Gabe Batstone – CEO of a Vancouver-based “interactive 3D and augmented technologies” company – shared his grief on Twitter Thursday: “Life will never be the same after losing my daughter to murder… We are devastated by the loss of our beautiful Teagan. Beloved daughter, sister who deserved so much more.” He later tweeted: “Thanks for the condolences. I am unable to talk without sobbing but tomorrow I hope to share great memories of my love Teagan Erin Batstone.” He told CTV Friday that the last message he received from his ex-wife was that Teagan had the flu and wouldn’t be going to school. In the days since his daughter’s death, the
Police are appealing for witnesses and information in the wake of a weekend altercation in South Surrey that claimed the life of a 15-year-old boy. Dario Bartoli died in Peace Arch Hospital hours after he was injured in an attack early Saturday in or near Bakerview Park. “There is much rumour and speculation as to what occurred the evening Dario was killed, and for that reason we ask individuals who have information to come to police before turning to social media,” Staff Sgt. Jennifer Pound, spokesperson for the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, said Monday in a statement. Police responded to a call of a disturbance just before 3 a.m. Dec. 13, after two boys, 14 and 15 years old, fled to a home in the 15600-block of 18 Avenue, following an assault by four or five others. Police and emergency health services arrived to find Bartoli with critical injuries. Taken to nearby Peace Arch Hospital, he died just after 10 a.m. Soon after, Twitter and Facebook were inundated with comments and tributes to Bartoli, an avid skateboarding and BMX fan who attended Earl Marriott Secondary. One described Bartoli as “one of my best friends.” “Throughout the time we hung out together Dario and all his friends made me feel like I had a place where I was always welcome,” the writer states. “Dario we all love you man… You will always be remembered.” i see page A2
Evan Seal photo
Officers were called to a traffic incident.
Facebook photo
Mother Lisa Deanne Batstone and daughter Teagan in a photo posted online last summer. father has called for family-law reforms. An autopsy scheduled for Thursday was hoped to confirm the girl’s cause of death. The results were not released by Peace Arch News’ press deadline Monday. Meanwhile, police and grief counsellors were at Rosemary Heights Elementary in South Surrey Thursday to help Teagan’s fellow students and teachers deal with the tragedy. School district spokesman Doug Strachan said a message “just to inform” was developed and shared with students in Grades 4 to 7. Information to help parents of students in Grade 3 and younger support their children was also distributed. News of Teagan’s death and the charge against her mother has shocked the Rosemary Heights community. At White Rock Baptist Church, where Teagan and her mom had attended for the past
6½ years, pastor Fay Puddicombe described the youngster as “an affectionate, vivacious little girl loved by everyone who knew her.” “We will miss her greatly,” Puddicombe told PAN, adding a memorial service will be held for Teagan at the church (1657 140 St.) at 7 p.m. Wednesday (Dec. 17). Everyone is welcome to attend the child-friendly service. “We would like to find some way for kids to respond, possibly by providing paper so they can draw or write messages,” she said. One area resident told PAN that Lisa Batstone “had always been a loving, devoted mother to her daughter.” “Everyone who knows Lisa is so shocked because she was a single mom whose life revolved around Teagan in every way,” said the resident, who asked to not be identified in any way, by email. i see page A4
IHIT photo
Dario Bartoli died Saturday morning.
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