Chelsea, Quebec mom tries to kill herself in Hull prison

by TREVOR GREENWAY on JANUARY 11, 2012

Sophie Fitzpatrick, shown here at a Chelsea Nordiq event in 2009, was killed Oct. 22. Her adopted mother Catherine Dufresne has been charged with her murder. LD file photo

A Chelsea, Quebec mom charged with first-degree murder in the death of her adopted daughter Sophie Fitzpatrick is in critical condition after she tried to take her own life Monday in a Hull prison, according to the Surete du Quebec.

Kathrine Dufresne was found unconcious by authorities at a Hull detention centre at 11:20 Wednesday morning, said Genevieve Bruneau of the Surete du Quebec, who added that Dufresne is now in critical condition at a Hull hospital.

On Oct. 22, Murray Fitzpatrick arrived to his Kingsmere home from a business trip to find the body of his daughter, Sophie Fitzpatrick. His wife, Dufresne, was rushed to the hospital for serious injuries that are believed to be self-inflicted. She was charged with first-degree murder and Murray Fitzpatrick was cleared of any wrongdoing. Dufresne was deemed fit for trial in a Gatineau courthouse Jan. 9 and was placed on suicide watch. She was in a Hull detention centre awaiting transfer to a Montreal facility when the incident occurred. Her trial was set to begin Feb. 28.