{"id":48323,"date":"2025-07-08T09:27:18","date_gmt":"2025-07-08T09:27:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/48323\/"},"modified":"2025-07-08T09:27:18","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T09:27:18","slug":"kelowna-mothers-death-shows-need-for-judicial-changes-to-domestic-violence-laws-family-okanagan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/48323\/","title":{"rendered":"Kelowna mother\u2019s death shows need for judicial changes to domestic violence laws: family – Okanagan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bailey McCourt was only 32 years old and a mother to two young children when her life was brutally cut short, allegedly at the hands of her former husband.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThis is very horrific and a senseless act,\u201d McCourt\u2019s uncle, Morey Maslak told Global News. \u201cIt\u2019s is all very raw. We are trying to make sense of this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kelowna RCMP were called to a parking lot at the corner of Spall Road and Enterprise Way at 12:45 p.m. Friday in response to what they called a hit-and-run and assault.<\/p>\n

It was quickly determined two women were viciously attacked. Police said a weapon was used but would not specify what type.<\/p>\n

Both women were rushed to hospital, where McCourt died.<\/p>\n

Police arrested James Plover, McCourt\u2019s estranged husband, off of Glenmore Road not long after the assault and charged him with second-degree murder after McCourt succumbed to her injuries.<\/p>\n

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McCourt\u2019s family is now left not only feeling immense sadness and pain, but anger on top of it as the accused had a history of domestic violence.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to understand how we ended up in this position,\u201d said Maslak.\u00a0 \u201cHow many times is this story going to be played before we can affect some change.\u00a0 There\u2019s something wrong in this society that we are having to have these discussions over and over again.\u201d<\/p>\n

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According to court documents, Plover was charged with assault by choking and uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm in June, 2024.<\/p>\n

The case was classified as a \u2018K file\u2019, which indicates intimate partner violence.<\/p>\n

In August, 2024, McCourt posted on her social media, \u201cTo anyone receiving messages from James about me and my family please screenshot these messages and send to me.\u00a0 He is clearly unstable and this is not okay. I am scared for my family\u2019s safety and need your help by getting these messages to my lawyer and crown counsel.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cThat\u2019s what\u2019s really frustrating is that the system is very aware, the criminal legal system, the family law system are aware that of the warning signs of potential lethal violence,\u201d said Angela Marie MacDougall, executive director of the Battered Women\u2019s Support Services.\u00a0 \u201cAnd this case was screaming of that, like just screaming, \u2018Lethal violence is imminent.’\u201d<\/p>\n

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