18-year-old woman sentenced in Shadle Park High stabbing

An 18-year-old woman who stabbed another student during a bathroom fight last winter at Shadle Park High School was sentenced after pleading guilty to felony assault.

Corynne N. Canova pleaded guilty to second-degree assault June 25. Spokane County Superior Court Judge Jeremy Schmidt sentenced her to 15 to 36 weeks, or about four to nine months, to the state Department of Children, Youth, and Families Juvenile Rehabilitation, according to Juvenile Court documents.

Spokane police were called to the north Spokane high school the morning of Feb. 1 for the stabbing.

Student witnesses told police Canova and a female student got into a fight that morning at the school, court records say. Canova then left and returned to the bathroom with a friend, and the two fought with the same student Canova fought with moments earlier.

The stabbing victim told police she intervened in the fight after Canova kicked the girl in the legs and head multiple times. The victim said she and Canova fought, which included punches and hair pulling. She saw Canova holding something black in her hands and then felt a sharp pain in her chest, believing Canova stabbed her.

Canova and her friend then ran from the bathroom, the victim told police. The victim was taken to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center.

The student suffered injuries that were serious, but she was in stable condition at the time she was taken to the hospital, according to the Spokane Police Department.

Canova’s friend told police she and the girl she fought who was not stabbed were having issues and planning on fighting each other. She said she made a plan to confront the girl after she said Canova called her that morning crying saying the girl pushed her around.

The friend said she and Canova walked to the bathroom, she confronted the girl and a large fight involving several people ensued.

Canova’s friend told police she and Canova walked out of the bathroom and Canova handed her a black folding knife, documents say. The friend admitted to police the knife belonged to her and she had given it to Canova the prior day.

Police recovered two black folding knives from the friend.

School surveillance showed Canova and her friend walking out of the bathroom, according to documents. Canova could be seen handing the knife used in the stabbing to her friend.

A student’s cellphone video showed Canova fighting with the girl who got stabbed. Canova is seen holding a knife in her right hand as she and the other girl are pushing each other.

Police wrote in documents the student who initially fought with Canova had bruising and a bump on the side of her head. That victim told police her knee was in a great deal of pain.

Canova was originally charged with second-degree assault, fourth-degree assault and possession of a dangerous weapon on school premises. As part of the plea agreement, the latter two charges were dropped.

Canova, who has no criminal history, was given about five months of credit for time served.

Spokane County Deputy Prosecutor Shane Smith said Lincoln County Prosecuting Attorney Adam Walser handled the case for the prosecution because of a conflict of interest regarding the case in the Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.