Woman who attempted to abduct child found not criminally responsible

A woman who attempted to abduct a child in Hamilton has been found not criminally responsible for her actions.

On June 20, a family stood outside Jackson Square with their four-year daughter. She was only five feet away trying out a new scooter when Angel Charbonneau grabbed the child and attempted to run off.

The mother fought back and the child is safe at home but the young girl relives that moment constantly.

“She’s so traumatized by it she has night terrors and she cries to her sleep screaming no don’t hurt me. She’ll wake up screaming, don’t touch me don’t hurt me, I want my mommy I want my daddy,” said the child’s parent.

Charbonneau was found not criminally responsible of her actions due to mental illness. Prior to the attempted abduction, she was in the early intervention program at St. Joseph’s hospital for schizophrenia.

The courts heard that Charbonneau genuinely believed that her partner’s children had been abducted and she was saving them from their captors. She’ll be admitted back to St. Joe’s West 5th campus for treatment where she’ll be reassessed in 45 days.

But when she is released, the parents are still worried about the future. “As soon as she leaves that hospital they can’t make her take medication to make sure she never does this again.”