Teen pleads guilty to manslaughter in Toronto homeless man’s death

Toronto·New

One of eight teen girls charged in the death of a homeless man in downtown Toronto has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Four others are expected to plead guilty in the case in the weeks to come

Ken Lee, the 59-year-old victim of a deadly swarming attack allegedly by eight teenage girls in downtown Toronto in December 2022, is pictured in an undated photo.
On Thursday, one teen has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of Kenneth Lee, a homeless man in Toronto, in December 2022. (Toronto Police Service handout)

One of eight teen girls charged in the death of a homeless man in downtown Toronto has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Three 13-year-olds, three 14-year-olds and two 16-year-olds were initially charged with second-degree murder in the death of Kenneth Lee, a 59-year-old man police say was living in the city’s shelter system.

Lee died in December 2022 after police allege he was swarmed and stabbed by eight teen girls.

A judge recently committed six of the teens to stand trial on second-degree murder and two on the lesser charge of manslaughter. 

Aside from the girl who appeared in court Thursday, four others are expected to plead guilty in the case in the weeks to come. 

One is expected to plead guilty to manslaughter, but the court has not heard what charges the others are expected to plead guilty to.

The remaining three are expected to stand trial in Ontario Superior Court. A trial date has not yet been set. 

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