'I was not well': No jail time for Calgary woman who abused orphaned nieces

A Calgary woman who assaulted her two orphaned nieces says she would "give anything to change the past."

The aunt who can't be named in order to protect the identities of the children was convicted of four assault charges earlier this month. On Thursday, Court of Queen's Bench Justice Sandy Park handed down an 18 month suspended sentence to be followed by 18 months probation.

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The children lost their parents in a car crash in the U.S. in 2006 and were adopted by their aunt and uncle, who moved their family to Calgary.

"I am slowly getting over my looking over my shoulder feeling," said one of the victims. "I really don't want anything to do with my biological family."

Prosecutors Ken McCaffrey and William Tran had sought a sentence between 18 months and two years,while defence lawyer Kelsey Sitar proposed no jail time a suspended sentence and probation.

'I lost my mom and dad and then I lost another family'

The allegations surfaced in 2011 when themiddle sibling showed up at school with a bruised and swollen face.

The school involved police and then social services became involved,the children were removed from the home and questioned, and the aunt and uncle were charged by police.

The girl and her sister both wrote victim impact statements that were read aloud in court.

"I lost my mom and dad and then I lost another family," said one of the victims.

During the trial, the kids testified they wereforced to drink their own vomit and "tortured" with needles, lighters and barbecue forks.

'I was not well,' aunt says

Justice Park found the children's uncle not guilty on all assault and criminal negligence charges. The aunt was convicted on four assault charges involving hitting the two older girls with a wooden spoonand electrical cords as well as pulling their lips and tongues.

"I was not well and I would give anything to change the past," the woman said from the prisoners' box, referring to her nieces and nephew as her children.

She apologized for the hardships she has caused to her family.

"I love my children with all of my heart .. they are my life, they are the reason I keep remembering to breathe," she said.

"I would give anything to have had the knowledge, parenting skills and tools to take care of my children in a time of crisis."

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