Trial begins for Sask. woman accused of assaulting group home residents

The trial of a Saskatchewan woman accused of physically and sexually assaulting non-verbal residents at a Wilkie care home began today. Stacey Hein reports.

This story includes details some readers may find disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised.

The trial of a Saskatchewan woman accused of physically and sexually assaulting non-verbal residents at a group home began Monday with testimony from a former co-worker who said she witnessed “very inappropriate behaviour.”

Jaclyn Elias, 38, is on trial in North Battleford Provincial Court, charged with multiple counts of assault and sexual assault, as well as one count of sexual assault with a weapon and uttering threats.

Sask. RCMP charged Elias in February 2024, alleging the incidents occurred between January 2023 and February 2024 and involved four residents at group home in Wilkie, about 55 kilometres southwest of The Battlefords.

• Download the CTV News app to get breaking news alerts sent to your device

Court heard the residents were non-verbal, in wheelchairs, and required assistance for personal care including feeding, bathing and changing.

Elias had been employed with Prairie Branches, the company that ran the group home, since 2014 and was terminated after charges were laid, court heard.

Former co-worker Lisa Knuff testified Monday that she saw Elias poke a resident in the genitals with a stick while he was lying down. Knuff said Elias then told the resident, “If you’re gay, you’d like it up the bum.”

“She thought it was funny,” Knuff testified.

Knuff also testified she saw Elias put her fingers in a resident’s mouth and say, “You little pervert, you like that.”

She said the resident had no reaction.

“He didn’t know what she was doing to him,” Knuff testified.

Knuff told the court that on multiple occasions she saw Elias put her breasts in the faces of residents while they were lying down or seated in their wheelchairs.

She also testified that one resident drooled frequently and that during mealtime she witnessed Elias stuff a washcloth into the resident’s mouth to stop the drooling.

During cross-examination, defence lawyer Meagan Ward asked Knuff why she had not reported the alleged abuse sooner. Knuff said she mentioned to a residential manager that Elias was behaving inappropriately and was difficult to work with, but did not got into details.

In her earlier testimony, Knuff told the court she was afraid to speak to anyone at the time and believed she might be overreacting. She said she later decided to come forward after someone else mentioned similar incidents.

Ward suggested Elias’ breasts may have brushed against residents while she was working with them, noting beds are adjusted for the tallest employee and Elias is shorter than Knuff, who is 5′5″.

Knuff said that was not possible.

Another former co-worker, Holly Ennis, testified she witnessed Elias “dry hump” a resident while he was seated in a wheelchair.

Ennis also testified she saw Elias put her hand over a resident’s mouth and say, “You’re so cute, I could kill you,” before putting her breasts close to his face and saying, “Suckle my boobs.”

The judge-alone trial is scheduled to resume Tuesday morning.