Cowan pleads guilty to aggravated assault on 14 year old

December 4, 2015 · 0 Comments

On July 27th 2014, a 14 year old Shelburne girl was severely assaulted in a wooded area on the west end of town. The same day 19 year old Jade Cowan was arrested for the assault. Over the first few days of the investigation, Cowan was charged with numerous offences including Aggravated Assault and Attempt Murder. Cowan remained in custody since the incident occurred and the case went through various stages at court including a preliminary hearing. Publication bans were put in place by the courts. A publication ban remains on the identity or anything that could identify the young victim.
On November 24th and 25th Cowan was at the Orangeville courthouse to enter a guilty plea. Cowan’s guilty plea to Aggravated Assault was registered. Sentencing will occur in the New Year as assessments are being sought that may be used in sentencing. Cowan remains in custody awaiting sentencing.
Now that Cowan has been convicted, here are some details of the incident: At the time of the offence, the victim knew the accused only a few days. On the evening of the offence the accused and victim were texting each other, and the accused met up with the victim and took her to a wooded area on the west end of Shelburne. While there and with unknown provocation, the accused used a rock and struck the victim numerous times in the head, and proceeded to strangle her. The victim ended up passing out. The victim was later found by some passing cyclists who found her severely injured and almost completely covered in blood. A motorist driving by also assisted the victim and 9-1-1 was called. The victim was rushed to Headwater’s Hospital, and then taken to the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.
The victim has suffered significant long term injuries that she will likely be dealing with the rest of her life.