December 15,2025
RED FM News Desk
A 16-year-old girl has pleaded guilty to attempted murder after attacking a former friend by splashing her with lighter fluid and setting her on fire in the hallway of a Saskatoon high school.
The teen also admitted to unlawfully causing bodily harm to a teacher who rushed to help the victim during the attack at Evan Hardy Collegiate in September 2024.
Court heard Monday that the incident followed the breakdown of a friendship that escalated into harassment and ultimately violence. A Crown prosecutor read an agreed statement of facts, explaining that the friendship ended after the attacker previously set fire to the roof of the school library.
The court was told the victim had been harassed by the attacker, prompting the victim’s parents to contact police. School officials were aware of the situation and had arranged for searches of the attacker and her belongings. Additional concerns were raised about the attacker’s mental health, including a prior suicide attempt and self-harm, which led to her being under constant supervision by an aide at school.
On the day of the attack, two aides were with the girl as she waited outside the victim’s classroom and sensed something was wrong. When the bell rang and students exited, the aides positioned themselves between the two girls. However, the attacker pushed past them, sprayed the victim with lighter fluid, and ignited it.
After the incident, the attacker was taken to an autism room, where she was seen rocking back and forth and saying, “The voices told me to do it,” while suffering burn injuries herself.
Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 26, and the judge has ordered a psychological assessment. The Crown confirmed it will no longer seek an adult sentence, which would have carried a harsher penalty.
The victim did not attend court, though family members were present. Both the accused and the victim are protected by publication bans under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
At the time of the attack, the accused was 14 years old and the victim was 15. Witnesses described flames spreading within seconds from the victim’s hair and face to her body as she screamed for help. Teachers responded quickly, instructing her to drop and roll, using clothing to beat back the flames. The victim was hospitalized in serious condition with burns, and the teacher who intervened was also injured.
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