Psychiatric assessment for young woman charged in stabbing of child in Halifax

A 19-year-old woman charged with stabbing a child in Halifax will undergo a 30-day psychiatric assessment.

HALIFAX — A 19-year-old woman accused of stabbing a six-year-old boy in downtown Halifax last month has been ordered to undergo a 30-day psychiatric assessment.

Elliott Chorny made an appearance Thursday by video in Nova Scotia provincial court.

A spokeswoman for Nova Scotia’s Public Prosecutions Service says Chorny is to return to court on April 11 for a hearing to determine her mental fitness.

Chorny is facing an attempted murder charge in the Feb. 23 stabbing of the boy, who police say was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries but was later reported to be in stable condition.

The accused, who remains in custody, also faces a charge of possession of a dangerous weapon in the attack on the boy, and an assault charge involving an attack on a woman in Halifax on Jan. 27.

Chorny’s mother wrote on social media after the stabbing that her daughter is “severely unwell” and the family has been trying for years to get her treatment.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 13, 2025.