Woman who pleaded guilty to kidnapping eight-day-old baby declared not criminally responsible

Nicole Shanks, the woman who pleaded guilty to assault and kidnapping charges stemming from the brazen abduction attempt of an eight-day-old baby, will receive treatment in a psychiatric hospital, not time in a prison cell.

Justice Julie Bourgeois agreed on Thursday with a joint submission by assistant Crown Attorney Stephen Albers and lawyer for the defense Michael Spratt, finding Shanks not criminally responsible for her actions on Mother’s Day last year.[…]

Spratt said Shanks was lucky to be surrounded by a network of support. Her parents had taken over the responsibility of caring for her children while she was detained and her partner accompanied her in court Thursday.

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Read Matthew Lapierre‘s full story: Ottawa Citizen