Kenneth Lee's face was 'covered in blood,' shelter worker tells teens' murder trial

Crown prosecutor Mary Humphrey, left to right, defence lawyer Ayderus Alawi, Alawi's accused client, defence lawyer Boris Bytensky, defence lawyer Kathryn Doyle, Bytensky and Doyle's accused client, Justice Phillip Campbell and Toronto police Det. Rodney Benson appear in a courtroom sketch made in Toronto, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Alexandra Newbould

A shelter worker who pushed a group of girls off a homeless man in a downtown Toronto parkette two years ago told court the man had blood pouring down his face but didn’t appear to be in a life-or-death situation.

Melissa Alexander testified today at the trial of two teen girls charged in the death of Kenneth Lee, a 59-year-old man who was living in the city’s shelter system.

The girls, who were 14 and 16 at the time, have pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder.

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Alexander told the court she was wrapping up her evening shift at a then-temporary shelter near the parkette on Dec. 17, 2022 when she heard a commotion.

She said she saw a group of girls kicking, stomping and spitting on someone like predators attacking their prey.

Alexander said she pushed the girls off and saw a man crouching on the ground, his face covered in blood. Some other shelter residents who were there identified him as Lee, she said.

Alexander was “exchanging words” with the girls as they headed towards stairs that would take them to Union Station, asking them to explain their actions, she said.

Shortly afterward, Alexander flagged down a nearby ambulance and told them what she knew about Lee, she said. The shelter worker said she went home soon after.

Alexander testified she was shocked to learn the next day that Lee had died. Under cross-examination, she said there was no indication Lee was critically injured, adding she would have acted differently if that had been the case.

Asked whether she had seen any weapons, such as a knife or scissors, Alexander replied that she had not seen anything of the type.

Court has heard Lee died in the early hours of Dec. 18, 2022 after undergoing emergency surgery at St. Michael’s Hospital.

Eight girls between the ages of 13 and 16 were arrested shortly afterward.

Prosecutors allege the youngest of the two girls on trial is the one who fatally wounded Lee, but have not yet specified when they believe it happened or with what. Court has heard that girl was found with two small scissors and a pair of tweezers when she was arrested.

Last year, three of the other girls accused in the case pleaded guilty to manslaughter and one to assault causing bodily harm and assault with a weapon.

Two other girls are set to face a jury trial this May on charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter, respectively.

None of the teens can be identified because they were minors at the time of the incident.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 6, 2025.