General

Guy Turcotte must remain a psychiatric patient, but will be able to leave hospital grounds

Guy Turcotte, the cardiologist found not criminally responsible for killing his two children, must remain in the care of the Montreal-area Pinel Institute.

Postmedia reports a panel reviewing Turcotte’s case believes he is still sufficiently dangerous to recommend against his release.

However, Turcotte will be able to leave the grounds of the hospital:

For the first three months, those outings must be supervised by a family member or personnel from the Montreal-area Pinel Institute.

After three months, he will be allowed to leave the institute during the day, unsupervised, returning only at night.

The risks he poses to the public are to be re-evaluated after six months.

Turcotte killed his two children as they slept, after having drunk windshield washer fluid in a suicide attempt. In 2011 he was found not criminally responsible for the deaths of the children. As such he can be held indefinitely in psychiatric care—but he can also be released when he is no longer deemed dangerous.

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