In January 2008, 12‑year‑old Karissa Boudreau vanished after accompanying her mother, Penny, to a grocery store in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia—sparking a massive search and media appeal. Thirteen days later, her frozen body was discovered near the LaHave River; an autopsy revealed she’d been strangled with a length of twine, staged initially to mimic sexual assault. Investigators soon focused on Penny, who had confessed during an undercover RCMP “Mr. Big” operation, admitting she killed Karissa to preserve a relationship with her boyfriend, who purportedly had given her an ultimatum. In January 2009, Penny pleaded guilty to second‑degree murder and received a life sentence with a 20‑year parole ineligibility period. The case, labelled a heartbreaking betrayal, became one of Nova Scotia’s most notorious, inspiring investigative books and documentaries.