WATCH: The Port Alberni parents who captured a man who was allegedly coming to have sex with their 13-year-old daughter have been charged. It happened at their home in April. The incident was live streamed on social media. They’ve pleaded not guilty to charges of assault causing bodily harm and unlawful confinement. Kendall Hanson reports.
A mother and step-father have pleaded not guilty to two charges related to their capture of a man who was allegedly at their house to have sex with their 13-year-old daughter.
They and a friend have been charged with assault causing bodily harm and unlawful confinement.
Last April a video, posted to social media live, showed a man hogtied with zap straps on the floor of a Port Alberni home.
CHEK News isn’t identifying the parents to protect the girl’s identity.
In an interview shortly after the video was taken, the girl’s mother and stepfather said they intercepted messages on their daughter’s phone. They said they then began communicating with the man posing as their daughter. When he texted he was coming to meet her, they and a friend were waiting for him.
“I came out of the hall right as he came into the hall. We were face to face. He’s like ‘Oh my god’ and I punched him,” said the girl’s mother in an interview in April.
“I just tackled him to the ground and tried to get him on his stomach,” said the girl’s stepfather. “I wasn’t sure how to hold him there so I put some zap straps on him and left it at that.”
They then called the police but when RCMP officer arrived, the couple and their friend were also detained.
Port Alberni RCMP said their actions were appropriate.
“Not only is it an illegal thing to do, the vigilante action but you put people in harm and again you’re compromising or potentially compromising the original ongoing investigation,” said Cpl. Amelia Hayden in an interview shortly after the incident.
The parents and friend are due back in court next week to set a trial date for the parents. It’s expected the friend will be sentenced.
A prosecutor from Victoria is handling the case against the trio.
“This matter was handled by Victoria Crown due to the complexity of the case and the potential for conflict in light of the overlapping nature of the investigations,” said Daniel McLaughlin, BC’s Crown Counsel spokesperson.
Kendall Hanson
