A convict who became Canada 鈥榮 youngest designated dangerous offender after sexually assaulting a three-month-old baby is seeking escorted leave from prison to attend Indigenous cultural ceremonies in Vancouver.

Tara Desousa, now 43, has applied to Federal Court to overturn a decision by B.C.鈥檚 Fraser Valley Institution to deny her 鈥渆scorted temporary absences鈥� from the federal women鈥檚 prison.

Desousa, then named Adam Laboucan, was 15 years old in 1997 when she sexually assaulted an infant she was babysitting in Quesnel, B.C. The baby required surgery to repair the injuries.

Desousa, who underwent gender-affirming operations while serving an indefinite sentence, also admitted to drowning a three-year-old boy when she was 11 years old, which the judge in the sexual assault case said was below the age of criminal responsibility.

B.C. Supreme Court Judge Victor Curtis imposed an indefinite sentence and a dangerous-offender designation in 1999 because there was no foreseeable 鈥渢ime span in which Adam Laboucan may be cured.鈥�

鈥淚n doing so, I do not intend that Mr. Laboucan be kept in prison for many years with no hope for release,鈥� the judge wrote of the then-17-year-old.

鈥淲hat is intended, and what must happen is that Mr. Laboucan be kept only so long as it is necessitated by the risk he poses.鈥�

The B.C. Court of Appeal upheld the dangerous offender designation in 2002.

Desousa鈥檚 application filed in Federal Court in Vancouver in October says she first applied for escorted leave to attend ceremonies at the Anderson Lodge 鈥渉ealing centre for women鈥� in August 2023.

The lodge is run by the Circle of Eagles Lodge Society, an Indigenous-led organization headed by CEO Merv Thomas.

Thomas said in an interview that he couldn鈥檛 comment on individual offenders, but a lot of people 鈥渃oming into our facilities are dealing with a lot of historical trauma.鈥�

He said the society takes a 鈥渉olistic鈥� approach to helping people heal through ceremonies held at the lodge, and 鈥渢hose that are involved in culture and ceremony have a greater chance at reintegrating positively into the community.鈥�

鈥淲e leave the final judgments to the creator,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 judge anybody that comes to us.鈥�

He said there are 鈥渟trict鈥� conditions and protocols for offenders that come to the society鈥檚 facilities, and 鈥渃ommunity safety鈥� is paramount.

In his decades working with the organization, Thomas said even he has trouble reading the files of the 鈥渂rothers and sisters鈥� who seek help from the society, reading about some of the 鈥渉orrific things鈥� they鈥檝e done.

鈥淏ut I also started reading and started to understand where they came from and some of the atrocities and the damage that was done to them,鈥� he said.

鈥淚 understand and I see both sides and it鈥檚 very difficult a lot of times to put our judgments aside. But at the same time, we work with them and we believe that everybody has an opportunity for change.鈥�

Desousa鈥檚 Vancouver-based lawyer Caroline North declined to comment on the Federal Court application.

Desousa has had several attempts for parole denied, most recently in June 2024.

The Parole Board of Canada decision said the assault victim and their 鈥渇amily have suffered pain, anxiety and anguish and long-term emotional impacts resulting from your offending.鈥�

鈥淓ach time you come up for parole, they are haunted by your offending and the damage you inflicted on their defenceless son/grandson,鈥� the decision said.

The board decision said Desousa was the victim of 鈥渆xtreme鈥� abuse as a child, bullied at school, diagnosed with 鈥渟everal disorders,鈥� and exhibited 鈥渧iolent and sexual behaviour鈥� around other children.

It said Desousa鈥檚 case management team believed that escorted temporary absences were 鈥渢he next logical step in reintegration and gradual release.鈥�

However, the board ruled that Desousa presented 鈥渁n undue risk to society,鈥� if she was paroled.

A profile in Desousa鈥檚 name is listed on Canadian Inmates Connect, which connects convicts with potential pen pals.

鈥淚鈥檝e been incarcerated since I was 15 years old. I was abused extensively as a child and did not know that this was not normal behaviour,鈥� says the profile, which includes photos. 鈥淚 know now and I am remorseful. I have never been given a chance to have proper interaction with the world growing up.鈥�

Thomas said inmates approved for escorted absences to attend the lodge have to go through a 鈥渞igorous鈥� process, but those who participate in ceremonies and access other supports from elders and counsellors see the greatest chance of reform and rehabilitation.

鈥淲hen people embrace their culture, that鈥檚 where we have seen the most change in people,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey have to do the work themselves because if they don鈥檛 do the work, then we can鈥檛 change them.鈥�