Almost three years after a mother stabbed her daughter 80 times, the child’s father is still heartbroken, while the victim’s older sister wants nothing to do with her mother, they testified in court this morning.
• Also read: Girl stabbed with 80 stab wounds: mother pleads guilty to reduced charges
“My little Maélie had a heart of gold, she was smiling, she had to discover her life… I have no words to explain how painful your absence is, I want to hug you and say everything is fine,” said Steve Augusto-Nogueira, Maélie Brossoit-Nogueira’s father, held back his tears at the Montreal courthouse this Thursday.
Immediately afterwards it was the victim’s big sister’s turn, tearfully announcing the death of the “most important person in [ses] Eyes”.
“I mourn my little sister, my mother took her away from me,” said the young woman. I lost a sister but I also lost a mother I will be scarred for the rest of my life. I wish [à sa mère] to experience the evil that I experience every day. No matter what punishment is imposed, it will never be enough for what she did to us.”
Sitting in the dock, Stéphanie Brossoit, 39, broke down in tears upon hearing those words, which referred to the sordid murder she committed in July 2020.
Photo courtesy of the family of the victim, Maélie Brossoit-Nogueira
too many drugs
According to the summary of facts filed in court, when Brossoit pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter, the woman had drug problems at the time. But even if the youth welfare office (DPJ) had initiated investigations, the woman was able to continue to look after her child as part of joint custody.
“The DPJ closed the case with the conclusion that Maélie was not at risk,” the court document said.
Thus, at the time of the tragedy, Brossoit had not slept for several days. In order to “make her day” and spend time with her little girl, she had used up speed. Afraid of not being able to sleep at night, she took GHB, cannabis and a Seroquel pill.
There she had a psychosis.
“During the night, the defendant woke up in a state of confusion and felt trapped in another dimension, the summary of the facts shows. She felt between life and death. Her mind told her that to save her, she had to stab her child.”
“I’m going to die”
Brossoit then attacked his child, who tried to take refuge in the bathroom of the accommodation in the Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district.
“I’m going to die,” the 6-year-old shouted so loudly that a neighbor could hear his last words.
Photo archive, Martin Alarie
Shortly thereafter, Brossoit broke down the door and finished off little Maélie Brossoit-Nogueira. In total, according to autopsy results, the child had 80 wounds.
“I know I did the worst thing in the world,” Brossoit told police shortly after his arrest.
For the defense, My Elfriede Duclervil and Roxane Sicotte, Brossoit had a good chance of being acquitted on grounds of extreme intoxication, a defense that was still possible when the tragedy occurred.
However, desperate to avoid a trial, the defendant instead accepted the Crown’s offer to plead guilty to manslaughter rather than murder, which would save her life in prison.
According to our information, the parties should propose a prison sentence of around 10 years.
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