Regina mother of teen stabbed in mouth looks to create support group

A Regina mom says her teen daughter is still traumatized after being stabbed in the mouth less than a month ago.

"She wakes screaming in the night sometimes and doesn't remember in the morning," said Samantha Racette about her daughter Lena. "She will vomit leaving the house because of her anxiety, she gets so worked up just to go anywhere."

Racette wants to start a support group for young victims and their families who have been impacted by violence.

Her 16-year-old daughter was attacked in a car in September and suffered stab wounds to the palate in her mouth.

Regina police have charged two teenagers with attempted murder and forcible confinement in the alleged attack.

It is alleged Lena lured into a vehicle that had a person hiding in the back seat. Once in the vehicle she was allegedly restrained and stabbed before freeing herself near Scott Collegiate High School.

Racette said she received a call from a distraught Lena around 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 24.

"She said, 'Mom I think I got stabbed.' There was gurgling noises and she was choking," Racette said. "At the time I didn't realize she was choking on her blood. That is a sound I will never get out of my head."

Soon after Lena told her she was with a police officer.

By the time Racette made it to the school, Lena was in the back of a police car.

"I went into shock when I saw her sitting there full of blood," she said.

Lena was sent to hospital where she had surgery to repair a stab wound to the palate of her mouth.

After surgery Lena told Racette what happened.

She told Racette a boy had messaged her and asked her if she had a smoke that she could share.

"He said he had his wheels so he could come scoop her, that is what they call it, to come pick her up, so she agreed," Racette said.

Racette said Lena thought only her and the boy were in the car.

Attacked from behind

"He started driving away and she said she heard some rustling in the backseat so she turned to look and saw this girl," Racette said.

Racette said Lena told her a belt was put around her neck to hold her in place and she was stabbed in the mouth.

Lena told her she was able to knock the knife out of the assailant's hand before being punched and having her hair pulled.

"Lena's got chunks of hair missing because this girl was like ripping her hair out," Racette said.

Racette said Lena was thrown out of the car into a puddle in an alley near the school .

"She said, 'Mom I just prepared myself like I was going to die that day,' " Racette said.

Something must be done

Racette says something needs to be done about youth violence, especially after another Regina teen they knew personally was killed this week.

On Oct. 14 Regina Police were called to the 900 block of Cameron Street where they found an injured 16-year-old girl who later died on the scene.

A Regina teen has been charged in connection with that city's fifth homicide of 2018.

When she saw her friend message about the death of her daughter, it broke Racette's heart.

"Enough is enough and something needs to be done," Racette said.

"These kids have a fear of being labelled a cop-caller or a rat. If going to police with threats being made toward you is going to label you a rat, and it saves your life, they need to think about what they value more, their life or a label."

Racette is looking into starting a support group she hopes is up and running in the new year.

It would help victims and families impacted by violence, especially youth violence.

"I'm hoping to talk to these kids and make these kids realize there is more value in being respected than in being feared."