Penny Boudreau, convicted of 2008 murder of daughter in Nova Scotia, gets day parole

Penny Boudreau is escorted from provincial court after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Karissa Boudreau, in Bridgewater, N.S., on Friday, Jan. 30, 2009. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan (ANDREW VAUGHAN)

HALIFAX — The Nova Scotia woman sentenced to life in prison for strangling her 12-year-old daughter is being granted six months of day parole.

Penny Boudreau killed her daughter Karissa in 2008, claiming she ran away after an argument outside a Bridgewater, N.S. grocery store.

The girl’s body was found two weeks later on the banks of the LaHave River.

Boudreau later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, saying she was worried her daughter would come between her and a boyfriend.

“The (parole) board believes that you are on a journey of observable and measurable positive personal changes which have evolved over time,” says the Parole Board of Canada in an eight-page decision.

“It is of the opinion of the board that you have gained insight of why you committed the crime as well as the consequences on the victim’s family and the community.”

Boudreau, who is now in her 50s, will be staying in the same halfway house where she spent a 60-day unescorted pass from prison earlier this year.

The decision notes she has been attending church in the community and says she will keep the same psychologist.

It also says she cannot have contact with certain family members, and is required to report any sexual or non-sexual relationships with men to her parole officer.

The names of the family members she was not allowed to contact were redacted in a copy of the decision, released by the parole board.

“You held a distorted perception of your relationship with your partner and what you believed was necessary to preserve it,” says the document.

“To help you navigate the challenges of friendships and relationships with men, the board considers it both reasonable and necessary that you report such relationships.”

The decision cites a 2024 psychological report saying Boudreau is considered a low risk to reoffend.

It says Boudreau has high levels of accountability and motivation and her potential to reintegrate into the community is rated as medium.

A threat to her personal safety was made to the board in January 2025. Police investigated but were unable to identify the person responsible.

Local police have not opposed her day parole.

Boudreau can apply for full parole after serving 20 years.

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By Devin Stevens

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 16, 2025.