Second teen pleads guilty in First Nation woman’s fatal beating

The body of Serena McKay, who was 19 and from the Sagkeeng First Nation, was found last April.


WINNIPEG – A second teenage girl charged in the fatal beating of a young woman from an eastern Manitoba Indigenous community has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

The body of Serena McKay, who was 19 and from the Sagkeeng First Nation, was found last April.

Two girls, who cannot be named because of their ages, were charged with second-degree murder after video of the bloody attack circulated on social media.

One of the girls, who was 16 at the time, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in Winnipeg youth court Wednesday.

She agreed to a statement of facts that includes witness statements from neighbours and DNA evidence.

The Crown indicated it will seek an adult sentence.

Another teenager, who was 17 when McKay died, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder last month.

McKay was a Grade 12 student at Sagkeeng Anicinabe High School.

The video showed a young woman lying bloodied on the ground and barely conscious as she was repeatedly kicked and punched in the head.

Court heard a drunken argument led to the vicious on-camera beating.

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18 thoughts on “Second teen pleads guilty in First Nation woman’s fatal beating

  1. Patricic says:

    Another senseless death at the hands of disfuntional behaviour learned at home. Sad that know one cares for the victim.

  2. Another senseless death at the hands of disfuntional behaviour learned at home. Sad that know one cares for the victim.

  3. Marla Chalmers
    We do not have 911 service here in NWT but RCMP. I have witness gangs beating too. It’s not laughable but truly sad!

  4. Marla Chalmers
    We do not have 911 service here in NWT but RCMP. I have witness gangs beating too. It’s not laughable but truly sad!

  5. While teaching in a NWT community, I was appalled by witnessing an attack like this. There were many more people taking running kicks to the young man on the ground right outside my home. There were also rocks involved. I called the RCMP. They told me that they wouldn’t come because all the kids would take off as soon as they saw the truck, so they would go collect them in the morning after they all were passed out! They had no regard for the man being beaten, although I described the scene and told them that the boy was down on the ground getting kicked and hit with rocks. I yelled at the kids myself and they just laughed! In a few minutes the beating stopped and they all left as one person helped the young man get up and stagger away. There was no answer at the Health Centre. Because the police did not respond, that young man was beaten so badly he had to be airlifted to Yellowknife and ended up with severe brain damage. He could have died just as easily. I do not understand how the kids could be so angry that they would resort to this level of violence. I know that substance abuse was involved, but still…

    1. It’s hard to believe that you called the police and they said that they would have all taken off and they would collect them in the morning.
      First of all you don’t talk to the police you talk to the 911 operator and then they are radioed. There would then have to be an ‘audio recording’ of that too. Did you ask for a copy of it? the Detachment Supervisor would have to give you access. Or let me quess… they wouldn’t give it to you. You are clearly not telling the whole truth. Quit the fibbing and the blame game.

      1. Sounds like Marla Chalmers works or knows someone who works for the police. Neither of you have proof of what you say, her saying she called the police and made a report but the police did nothing, them not caring what happens to Native First Nation youth. And your accusation that she is lying, as you have no proof that either.

        If you both really cared about things like that happening, the post names and dates and test to see if it is true. (But we all know that this is where it ends for both of you, so arguing about it is moot, as nothing is going to happen to prove or disprove anything more).

    2. Sorry for the nasty comments that are being hurled at you. Goes to show the level of anger on some reserves. I’m sure you are telling the truth.

    3. This shows what kind of society we live in today.The marginalization of some unprotected communities suffered outrages for decades! Racism and the violence that arises is difficult to fight when there is no will of the put an end to!

  6. While teaching in a NWT community, I was appalled by witnessing an attack like this. There were many more people taking running kicks to the young man on the ground right outside my home. There were also rocks involved. I called the RCMP. They told me that they wouldn’t come because all the kids would take off as soon as they saw the truck, so they would go collect them in the morning after they all were passed out! They had no regard for the man being beaten, although I described the scene and told them that the boy was down on the ground getting kicked and hit with rocks. I yelled at the kids myself and they just laughed! In a few minutes the beating stopped and they all left as one person helped the young man get up and stagger away. There was no answer at the Health Centre. Because the police did not respond, that young man was beaten so badly he had to be airlifted to Yellowknife and ended up with severe brain damage. He could have died just as easily. I do not understand how the kids could be so angry that they would resort to this level of violence. I know that substance abuse was involved, but still…

    1. It’s hard to believe that you called the police and they said that they would have all taken off and they would collect them in the morning.
      First of all you don’t talk to the police you talk to the 911 operator and then they are radioed. There would then have to be an ‘audio recording’ of that too. Did you ask for a copy of it? the Detachment Supervisor would have to give you access. Or let me quess… they wouldn’t give it to you. You are clearly not telling the whole truth. Quit the fibbing and the blame game.

      1. Sounds like Marla Chalmers works or knows someone who works for the police. Neither of you have proof of what you say, her saying she called the police and made a report but the police did nothing, them not caring what happens to Native First Nation youth. And your accusation that she is lying, as you have no proof that either.

        If you both really cared about things like that happening, the post names and dates and test to see if it is true. (But we all know that this is where it ends for both of you, so arguing about it is moot, as nothing is going to happen to prove or disprove anything more).

    2. Sorry for the nasty comments that are being hurled at you. Goes to show the level of anger on some reserves. I’m sure you are telling the truth.

    3. This shows what kind of society we live in today.The marginalization of some unprotected communities suffered outrages for decades! Racism and the violence that arises is difficult to fight when there is no will of the put an end to!

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