Convicted murderer and rapist allowed to volunteer at school

Karla Homolka spent 12 years behind bars for the rape and murder of teenage schoolgirls Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy in the early 1990s with her ex-husband, theBBC reports. Homolka was also involved in the 1990 rape and murder of her sister, 15-year-old Tammy.

The woman was released from maximum security prison in 2005, while her ex-husband, Paul Bernardo, remains behind bars. After prison, Homolka married her lawyer's brother and the pair had three children together. 

This week, parents were shocked to discover Homolka had been volunteering at her children’s private school.

A mother at Greaves Adventist Academy told City News she was horrified that a convicted killer was working in the proximity of minors.

“We don’t want her here,” she said. “How would you feel knowing that your child is interacting with a person who is a serial killer? It’s not right.”

Homolka had reportedly helped supervise kindergarten students during a field trip, but has since been told she can no longer volunteer.

Seventh-day Adventist Church spokesman Stan Jensen confirmed the school was aware of the woman’s background.

"The school board was fully aware of who she is. She is not a regular volunteer, and can never be alone with any children, either in school or churches,” he said

“It is protocol for all of our schools across Canada, and most of the world, to do background checks, not only on teachers, but [also] volunteers as well as clergy. As I said, she is not a regular volunteer. Rarely would she have cause to go into the school, and when she is, she is never alone.”

This article first published on Marie Claire.