Girl, 16, recovering in Ottawa hospital after vicious attack

WARNING: This story includes descriptions of graphic violence.

A 16-year-old girl is recovering in an Ottawa children's hospital after suffering serious injuries in what her family describes as a brutal attack allegedly committed by her ex-boyfriend, who's now in custody and facing charges like attempted murder. 

"I don't know how she's alive. Nobody knows," said Kaylie Smith's cousin Paige Smith, who spoke to CBC on behalf of the family. "It's incredible, her strength and resilience in this."

Kaylie Smith was airlifted to CHEO, eastern Ontario's children's hospital in Ottawa, on Sunday night and remains there with several family members at her bedside. 

Paige Smith said her younger cousin was getting off a bus near her home in Cobalt, Ont., on Sunday night when a former boyfriend allegedly struck her with a vehicle and then attacked her with what they believe was a knife or machete. 

Cobalt is about 500 kilometres northwest of Ottawa.

18-year-old charged with attempted murder 

Phillipe Gagnon, 18, is in custody following the attack. He's facing one charge of attempt to commit murder, one count of aggravated assault and one count of procurement of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

Smith's family said her left hand was severed "completely from her body" and her right hand was "cut up very severely."

She also suffered wounds to the back of her head and underwent a lengthy brain surgery after the edged weapon was lodged in her skull, her family said.

The Temiskaming detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said in a news release earlier this week that they responded to a motor vehicle collision in Cobalt and their investigation "revealed that an altercation occurred between an 18-year-old male and a 16-year-old female, who suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to a hospital, where she remains."

Gagnon is expected to appear in court in Haileybury, Ont., on Nov. 12. A community protest is being organized to oppose his release on bail.

CBC was unable to reach Gagnon's legal counsel. 

Community in shock, raising money

"She still has a very long road ahead of her, but for what she's been through she's very strong, very resilient," Paige Smith said of her cousin. "She's recovering remarkably well for what's happened to her."

Family members describe the high school student as soft-spoken, sweet and helpful to others, as well as being incredibly artistic. 

The attack has left the community in Cobalt, with a population of fewer than 1,000, reeling.

"Everybody knows each other and everyone's just devastated," said local resident Connie Boyd. "Anybody that I talk to, everybody's just feeling really, really sad right now about this whole thing. It's all everybody is talking about."

Boyd said that includes the bus driver who dropped Smith off before the attack.

An online fundraiser to support the family has already raised more than $60,000. Smith's mother, sister and aunts are in Ottawa while she recovers.

Paige Smith called the financial support "mind blowing."

"It just has us all in tears and absolutely just floored, because we're not like a financially well off family," she said. "To have all of us here ... it means so much," she said.