But this dream turned into a nightmare when her adoptive father, Serge Gendron, took advantage of the situation to sexually assault her.

The former Saint-Apollinaire resident who now lives in Quebec was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Friday at the Quebec courthouse.

In addition to attacking his adopted child for 4 years, Gendron also committed sexual acts with a girl when he was between 8 and 14 years old.

Judge Marie-Claude Gilbert imposed the sentence requested by the prosecution, similar to five years imprisonment for each of the two victims.

When the sentence was heard, Érick Légaré burst into tears.

” I became an adult, I could no longer understand what happened, what I was, the reason for my actions when I was little. Now, I forgive what I did, I forgive that I buried it inside of me. “

The attacks began shortly after the 6-month probationary period with her new foster family and continued for 4 years.

Érick Légaré filed a complaint against his attacker in 2019, after suffering for years and trying his own life.

Backpack

He now gives lectures to prevent suicide. He explained there that he had accumulated the weight of his problems in a backpack that was becoming increasingly heavy to carry.

This image came back to him when he saw his attacker enter the courtroom carrying his personal belongings, in anticipation of his time of incarceration.

I saw him come carrying his backpack, and the analogy is very simple. My backpack is the one I gave him and then he has it now, not me anymore.he said, exiting the courtroom.

The second victim filed a complaint following Érick’s denunciation.

Serge Gendron expects to be sentenced to less than two years in prison, because of his age and his dangerous health condition.

Judge Marie-Claude Gilbert stressed that these were not factors preventing the 78-year-old attacker from serving the sentence he considered fair, given the seriousness of the actions he had taken.