A British Columbia woman who killed 14-year-old Reena Virk near a Victoria-area bridge two decades ago has been given conditional approval for day parole.

Kelly Ellard was granted day parole for six months but must first complete a residential treatment program for substance abuse.

After six months, the parole board will review the decision. Ellard will be subject to conditions including that she cannot use drugs or alcohol or be in contact with anyone involved in criminal activity, or VirkB次元官网网址檚 family.

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Ellard, 35, wiped away tears Thursday as she learned the news. She was 15 when Virk was killed and is serving a life sentence for second-degree murder.

Panel member Colleen Zuk said it goes without saying that Ellard committed a B次元官网网址渉einousB次元官网网址� crime and that she was largely responsible for VirkB次元官网网址檚 death.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 very problematic in your case that there have been years and years of deception, of lying about the facts,B次元官网网址� Zuk said. B次元官网网址淭oday we found that you continued to somewhat minimize.B次元官网网址�

However, she said she found Ellard to be more transparent than sheB次元官网网址檇 been in the past, including that she admitted to planning to confront and harm Virk and that she wanted to B次元官网网址済et rid of herB次元官网网址� after the situation escalated to a swarming and a beating.

Zuk also acknowledged that Ellard had done trauma counselling and had the support of her case management team, who described her as making significant progress.

Ellard told the panel before the decision was made that there was nothing Virk could have possibly said or done to deserve such treatment.

B次元官网网址淚t wasnB次元官网网址檛 about her,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淪he should have been at home with her family who loved her, not with us that night, and IB次元官网网址檓 very sorry.B次元官网网址�

The two-member panel has ruled that the six-month day parole period will begin as soon as Ellard enters the treatment program.

Her parole officer said the last substance abuse issue she had in prison was in June 2015 and she has not been violent in more than a decade.

ItB次元官网网址檚 unclear whether EllardB次元官网网址檚 infant son, who lives with her in prison, would be able to join her at the residential substance abuse treatment centre.

She became pregnant last year after having conjugal visits with her boyfriend, who is in prison and is scheduled to return to the community soon.

She said she intends to co-parent with him but that if he commits a crime or starts using drugs, she is prepared to leave him.

B次元官网网址淎s much as I love him, if I had to let go B次元官网网址� for the sake of myself and my child, I would.B次元官网网址�

Ellard first applied for day parole in 2016 and was denied, but in February she was granted temporary escorted absences to go to parenting programs and doctorB次元官网网址檚 appointments with her baby.

She has served about 15 years in prison, having spent some periods out on bail. She was convicted of second-degree murder in 2005 after three trials.

A court heard that Ellard and several other teens swarmed and beat Virk, before Ellard and a teenage boy followed her across a bridge, smashed her head into a tree and held her underwater until she drowned.

Warren Glowatski was also convicted of second-degree murder and granted full parole in 2010.

Ellard has recently assumed more responsibility for her part in the murder, saying she rolled VirkB次元官网网址檚 unconscious body into the Gorge waterway.

Ellard continued to deny holding the girlB次元官网网址檚 head underwater on Thursday.

B次元官网网址淚 am adamant that didnB次元官网网址檛 happen,B次元官网网址� she told the panel. B次元官网网址淪omeone who had been beaten that badly, you wouldnB次元官网网址檛 need to hold them under water.B次元官网网址�

Zuk and another panel member, Linda Cross, pressed her to explain why she pushed VirkB次元官网网址檚 body into the water.

Ellard said she was terrified that Virk would tell police about the beating.

B次元官网网址淚 had never seen anything like that,B次元官网网址� Ellard said. B次元官网网址淓ither she was dead or she was dying. I just wanted to get rid of her.B次元官网网址�

Ellard broke down in tears often during the hearing. Cross commented that she appeared to be struggling to speak about drowning Virk.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a hard thing to hear coming out of my own mouth,B次元官网网址� Ellard said.

When asked who was responsible for VirkB次元官网网址檚 death, she replied, B次元官网网址淚 am.B次元官网网址�

Cross asked her to explain how she was responsible.

B次元官网网址淪he drowned, and I put her in the water.B次元官网网址�

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