North Battleford Provincial Court (Image Credit: battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Kenneth Cheung

CRIME

‘I feel sick to my stomach’: Witness alleges abuse of vulnerable residents at Wilkie care home trial

Feb 9, 2026 | 3:56 PM

Allegations of physical and sexual mistreatment of vulnerable care facility residents surfaced Monday as a witness testified about repeated inappropriate conduct at a Wilkie group home during the opening of Jaclyn Elias’s trial.

Elias, a former Prairie Branches employee, faces multiple charges, including assault, sexual assault, sexual assault with a weapon and uttering threats, in connection with incidents alleged to have occurred between January 2023 and February 2024 at the facility.

Lisa Knuff, a Crown witness who worked with Elias at Wilkie Group Home No. 3, told North Battleford Provincial Court she witnessed multiple incidents involving residents who were non-verbal and required full-time care.

Knuff testified she saw Elias roll a washcloth and place it into the mouth of a resident “multiple times,” estimating it could have been “as many as five.” She told court the alleged incidents occurred while staff were providing daily care.

She also testified she witnessed Elias poke a resident in the groin area using a bar used to assist with a mechanical lift during care routines involving transfers in and out of bed. Knuff said the incidents occurred on several occasions but acknowledged she could not identify exact dates or times.

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Knuff further testified she believed Elias engaged in sexually inappropriate behaviour toward residents and described the conduct as ongoing during the time they worked together. She told court the behaviour escalated in the months before it was reported.

“She would rub her boobs in their faces and say, ‘Hope you’ll like that, you perverted old man,'” she recalled.

During cross-examination by defence lawyer Meagan Ward, Knuff acknowledged she did not document any of the alleged incidents in the home’s communication book, which was used to record issues requiring management attention.

She agreed she did not formally report specific allegations to supervisors, human resources or police until February 2024, despite receiving training on recognizing and reporting abuse.

Knuff told court she had previously described Elias to a residential manager as “inappropriate” but did not provide details about specific incidents. 

She also acknowledged she could not recall exact timelines for several events and said she did not keep written records because she did not anticipate testifying in court.

Ward questioned Knuff about differences between her testimony and statements she previously gave to police, including how often certain incidents occurred and what details were shared at the time. Knuff acknowledged her memory was not precise and said, “then what I know now, I would have wrote it down.”

The defence suggested Knuff only came forward after speaking with another employee and implied she was motivated to support that co-worker. Knuff rejected that suggestion, telling court it was “totally incorrect.”

Knuff told court the alleged incidents took a personal toll on her, recalling she reached a breaking point in October 2023. 

“I wrote down and said, ‘I can’t do this anymore. I can’t work with her,’” she testified. 

She chose to continue working because she believed remaining at the home allowed her to watch for potential harm.

“I wanted to protect them as much as I could.”

When asked how she felt about testifying, Knuff told court “I feel sick to my stomach. I’m very nauseous.”

Court also heard testimony from Crown witness Marissa Merkel, Prairie Branches executive director, who told court the staff first reported concerns to human resources on Feb. 22, 2024, prompting an internal investigation. She testified police were contacted after allegations of physical, psychological and sexual abuse were raised, and Elias was later placed on administrative leave and terminated.

The trial is expected to continue with testimony from additional witnesses and is anticipated to last another two days.

Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com