Topsail stabbing victim remains in serious but stable condition

The young boy who was hospitalized after being stabbed in the neck at a Newfoundland soccer camp earlier this week remains in serious but stable condition in hospital.

The boy, believed to be 11, was stabbed during a skills camp involving several dozen young players at a pitch in the Topsail neighbourhood of Conception Bay South, a suburban town just west of St. John's.

• Why the Topsail stabbing has shaken parents to the core
• Topsail stabbing: Nicholas Layman, 19, charged with attempted murder

According to sources close to the family, the boy remained sedated in serious but stable condition in a St. John's hospital on Saturday morning.

Witnesses said a teenager ran out onto the field Thursday evening and stabbed the boy in the neck, leaving parents, coaches and other players in shock.

Nicholas Layman, 19, was charged with aggravated assault and assault with a weapon at a Friday court appearance.

We want to get them back to doing what they love most.- Calvin Rendell, Conception Bay South Soccer Association

Charges of attempted murder were added later that day.

Layman is set to appear in provincial court on Oct. 3 following a seven-day psychiatric assessment at the Waterford Hospital, a psychiatric hospital in the west end of St. John's.

Getting back to normal

Calvin Rendell, president of the Conception Bay South Soccer Association, said the group plans to reopen the soccer camp on Tuesday in an attempt to get things back to normal for the other children.

"The first reaction of the children is they don't want to come back, but I think that time heals all wounds, hopefully," Rendell said.

"Our goal as an organization is to resume our normal things and get back to normal as soon as possible and make the children feel that this is a safe, fun place to be, and we want to get them back to doing what they love most."

He added the stabbing is an isolated, random incident and he wants the kids to know that their community soccer field is a safe place.

"We want the kids to feel fine, let them focus on what they do, and we're encouraging the parents when they come back to the soccer camp ... to come out as well and just sit in the stands and cheer the children on," Rendell said.

"It's a fine line that we walk, and we'll work with the police and the municipality and the parents to figure out what the right solution is. I don't think anybody has the perfect answer, but we're going to try and get back to normal as soon as we can."

Contact information for counselling is available on the association's website, Rendell said, and is also being offered to the young coaching staff and volunteers who witnessed the incident.