By Kellah Lavoie

Woman changes plea to guilty of manslaughter

Dec 7, 2010 | 5:22 AM

The woman accused of killing a man in Deschambault Lake in 2009 is heading behind bars.

Yolanda Custer changed her plea Monday afternoon. The 23-year-old, mother of one originally pleaded not-guilty to second-degree murder, but changed it to a guilty plea of manslaughter.

The incident happened on March 29, 2009 in Deschambault Lake.

The Crown prosecutor read the fact of the day in question.

He said Custer and 38-year-old Henry Eninew were at a drinking party together. The two got into an argument and Eninew pushed Custer.

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From there Custer grabbed a knife and stabbed Eninew in the chest. It was that blow that killed him.

The Crown said the cause of death was either too much blood around the heart or loss of blood.

Custer left the scene and someone flagged down an RCMP who took Eninew to a health centre where he was pronounced dead.

Custer’s defense argued it happened within seconds and it did not take long for Eninew to die. He said alcohol was a factor.

“It was a silly fight over a missing bottle of whiskey,” he said.

He told Justice Peter Foley that Custer has been very involved in programing in her 16 months in remand and that she had no prior criminal record.

Foley addressed Custer before making his judgement.

“Let’s be honest, the problem didn’t happen over a few seconds,” he said.

“Alcohol has been and unfortunately continues to be (a problem).”

He took note of all the work she has done to better herself, as well as her plan to finish her Grade 12 when she gets released.

Foley told Custer to make Eninew’s death her new beginning.

“If you continue on with alcohol you will be back here … it’s the nature of the beast and alcohol is the beast.”

He took the Crown and defence’s joint submission for sentencing.

Custer will serve four years less double time. It will send her to Pine Grove Correctional Centre for the next 16 months. When she is released Custer will have to submit a DNA sample and will be banned from possessing fire arms for 10 years.

“We want you to succeed,” said Foley. “Make sure that you do.”

klavoie@panow.com