Evan Hardy Collegiate, a high school where an assault and fire had taken place in Saskatoon, is shown on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Liam Richards

By Jeremy Simes, Canadian Press

Court proceedings

Teen admits to splashing Saskatoon schoolmate with lighter fluid, setting her on fire

Dec 15, 2025 | 3:26 PM

SASKATOON — A 16-year-old girl has pleaded guilty to attempted murder for splashing a former friend with lighter fluid and setting her on fire in the hallway of a Saskatoon high school.

The attacker also pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm of a teacher who came to the victim’s aid at Evan Hardy Collegiate in September 2024.

She sat in court Monday dressed in a hoodie, as court heard the crime was the culmination of a friendship that spiralled into estrangement, harassment and finally violence.

Neither the attacker nor the victim can be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. The Crown said it is no longer seeking an adult sentence.

The attacker was 14 at the time and the victim was 15. It began over the lunch hour with lighter fluid squirted from a water bottle.

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One witness said flames spread within seconds from the victim’s hair and face to her shoulders, back and stomach as she screamed, “Help!”

She frantically patted her hair but that only caused the flames to spread to her hands.

Teachers arrived, telling the girl to drop to the ground and roll. A teacher took off his jacket and used it to swat at the flames on the victim, while other staff grabbed items of clothing and joined in trying to put out the fire.

Police said the girl was hospitalized in serious condition with burns and the teacher who tried to help was also injured.

A Crown prosecutor read out an agreed statement of facts in court, saying the girls had a friendship but it was ended by the victim after the attacker lit the roof of the library on fire.

Court also heard the attacker had harassed the victim, and the victim’s parents contacted police. The school became aware and arranged for the attacker and her school bags to be searched.

After the victim was set on fire, the attacker was escorted by school staff to an autism room.

The court document says she was seen rocking back and forth, wearing a blanket over her bra and pants with burn injuries, saying, “the voices told me to do it.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 15, 2025.

Jeremy Simes, The Canadian Press