Is there any act more deeply unsettling than a child taking the life of another? The very notion defies our fundamental understanding of innocence and protection, and when that child turns against their own family, the horror is magnified beyond comprehension.
The case of the Richardson family murders in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada, which unfolded in April 2006, is a chilling testament to this unthinkable reality. The youngest person ever charged with multiple counts of murder in Canada is Jasmine Richardson, who was just 12 years old when her family met their tragic end. The story of how an ordinary teenager, by all accounts, could become embroiled in such a gruesome crime continues to haunt the collective consciousness.
| Name | Jasmine Richardson (later known as J.R. to protect her identity) |
|---|---|
| Born | 1994 (Age 29 in 2023) |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Occupation | Convicted of multiple murders |
| Crime | Involved in the first-degree murders of her parents, Debra and Marc Richardson, and her 8-year-old brother, Jacob Richardson. |
| Location of Crime | Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada |
| Date of Crime | April 23, 2006 (discovered) |
| Co-conspirator | Jeremy Steinke (boyfriend) |
| Sentence | Initially sentenced to the maximum 10 years under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, with credit for time served. This included time in a psychiatric institution and supervised probation. |
| Legal Plea | Initially entered a plea of not guilty. |
| Key Details | Richardson was 12 years old at the time of the murders, making her the youngest person in Canada to be convicted of multiple homicides. The murders were planned with her boyfriend, Jeremy Steinke, who was significantly older. |
| Reference Link | CBC News Archive |
![Jury sees evidence in Richardson murder trial [Video]](https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/PwZKi6VjlXJ5uUc_L1p9bg--~B/aD03MjA7dz0xMjgwO3NtPTE7YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b24-/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/video/video.wtvd.abc.news.com/8443708085b2f9f00bd18a250c37ed2b)
