A Quebec woman, 47, admitted to aggravated assault for pouring boiling water on a 10-year-old Black boy’s face, head, torso, and back last autumn. Stéphanie Borel, the accused, appeared in a Longueuil court in person, sporting sunglasses and a medical mask. The incident occurred on October 2, 2024, resulting in second-degree burns covering 4% of the boy’s body. A publication ban is in place to shield the victim’s identity. It was clarified in a statement that there was no indication Borel, who is white, targeted the Black boy due to his race. The two individuals were not acquainted; however, Borel resided near the boy’s school and had been bothered by children playing pranks on her doorstep.
On the day of the ordeal, the boy approached Borel’s house for the “ring-and-run” game when she unexpectedly splashed him with boiling water and instructed him to leave. She later claimed she was unaware the victim was a child and was distressed by the children’s antics disturbing her cats. She stated that she was heating water to unclog her pipes during the incident. Farrah Auguste, a close family friend of the boy, expressed hopes for Borel to plead guilty for closure and justice, as the ongoing legal proceedings were causing significant stress and disruption to their lives.
Borel is set to return to court on January 28, 2026, for sentencing, with the Crown prosecutor intending to push for prison time, although the specific details are yet to be disclosed.
