Peace Peace Arch Arch News News Thursday, February 9, 2012
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news Woman was awaiting sentencing for stuffing body into plastic tote
Faked pregnancy ended parole for Surrey mother Dan Ferguson Staff Reporter
A Surrey Provincial Court judge jailed Renee Chelsea Leblanc last month after the 39-year-old mother of eight falsely claimed to be pregnant again to excuse her failure to meet with a probation officer. Leblanc was facing jail after admitting she stuffed the body of her tenant, 67-yearold Irving Bell, into a plastic tote in October 2008. She pleaded guilty in March 2010 to one count of interfering with a dead body, but was allowed to go free on $1,000 bail until her sentencing hearing. But that bail was revoked and Leblanc was imprisoned after she failed to show up for two scheduled meetings with her probation officer in December. Details of the court ruling revoking her parole were published online today (Thursday).
According to the written transcript of the Jan. 9 hearing, Leblanc claimed she could not attend the December meetings because she had just given birth to a baby boy by C-section at B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver. She claimed she carried her new baby for the foster parents of her eighth child, a boy who was seized by the Ministry of Children and Family Development after he was born last Feb. 22. Her story did not stand up. The foster parents denied any agreement to have her carry a baby for them, and there was no record of Leblanc giving birth or even staying at the hospital when she claimed. On hearing that, Surrey Provincial Court Judge Michael Hicks revoked her bail. â€œâ€ŚMs. Leblanc has not been forthright with the court, and particularly has not been forthright
in recent times in respect to the birth of a child, and has used obfuscation to delay the process of bringing this matter to a conclusion‌,â€? Hicks said. Just over two weeks later, the same judge sentenced Leblanc to 21 months in jail, to be followed by three years probation. During court proceedings, Leblanc’s daughter testified for the prosecution that she, and her mother had discussed different ways of disposing of a human body after Bell died in their Whalley home. It happened on Oct. 5, 2008, when the daughter was 11 years old. On that day, Bell phoned 911 and said he was “getting killed.â€? By the time police arrived, Leblanc had dragged the man’s body underneath a pile of laundry. The officers left after Leblanc told them the call was a prank.
The next day, using Bell’s bank card, she bought a large plastic tote. The day after that, Leblanc got her daughter to help her wrap Bell’s body in plastic and stow it in the tote.
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to determine the exact time and cause of Bell’s death, but did identify levels of methamphetamine and alcohol in his bloodstream.
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Contractor Waste Collection List If you are a contractor with waste collection equipment and operations and are interested in providing this service to the residents and businesses of the City of Surrey, please contact Burke van Drimmelen at bvandrimmelen@surrey.ca by February 29, 2012 to have your company added to the City’s Contractor List. The name of your company, contact information and the types of services provided will be included in a list available for public use on the City of Surrey website at www.surrey.ca. This same list will also be included on the City of Surrey’s yearly Waste Collection Calendar. Residents or businesses using this list will be advised that the City of Surrey has not negotiated any pricing with any of the contractors listed. In addition, the City does not warrant the work nor does it endorse any one of the contractors on the list. The cost of any service provided is to be determined between the contractor and the customer. The customer will be responsible for providing payment directly to the contractor for any junk pick-up services performed. The City will not act as an intermediary for any disputes relating to nonpaying customers, or complaints of unsatisfactory work performed by the contractor. Also, the burden of risk shall be borne by the contractor with respect to carrying out all services to the residents. All contractors must also ensure appropriate levels of insurance coverage and required licenses.
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with Bell’s card. Before she could transfer the body, police returned, found the tote and arrested Leblanc. An autopsy failed
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Court was told Leblanc intended to bury Bell in her backyard, then changed her mind and decided to use a freezer instead that was also purchased
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