Quebec community concerned after reports of Karla Homolka's whereabouts

Karla Homolka leaves the provincial courthouse in handcuffs in St. Catharines, Ont., July 6, 1993. (Frank Gunn / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

A Montreal-area elementary school has sent home letters to parents insisting that their children are safe after reports emerged that convicted killer Karla Homolka may have moved to the Chateauguay neighbourhood.

Neither police nor the school confirmed the reports, citing privacy concerns.

According to a school letter written by the principal, a reporter went door-to-door in the Chateauguay neighbourhood on Sunday “asking if people knew that ‘Karla Homolka’ was living in the area.”

Centennial Park Elementary School did not comment on whether any of Homolka’s children are attending the school, instead saying that “under Quebec Law, all children have the right to privacy and an obligation to be in school.”

Chateauguay police echoed similar privacy restrictions, saying that the department cannot confirm the identity of any resident living in the region.

The reports have drummed up plenty of debate among parents about whether parents have a right to know who is living in their community.

“I’m quite upset by it. I think as parents we should have the right to know if our kids are in danger,” one mother told CTV Montreal. “Am I feeling safe for (my daughter) to go out and meet new children and play and go to their houses? Not so much.”

Another parent said all children, no matter who their parents are, have a right to education.

“I can imagine other parents being uncomfortable about that, but at the end of the day, I mean, her child still needs to go to school,” the local father said.

“I hope that the others parents and the kids are going to think about that child and not bring an additional burden on that child.”

Karla Homolka served 12 years in prison for manslaughter in connection with the rape and murder of two young girls, Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy. Her ex-husband, Paul Bernardo, was deemed a dangerous offender and sentenced to life in prison.

Homolka was released from prison in 2005 without conditions.

With a report from CTV Montreal