GoFundMe has cancelled an online fundraiser for a Simcoe, Ont., woman facing an assault with a weapon charge after allegedly spraying her neighbour with a water gun.
More than $10,000 had been donated to the fundraising campaign for Wendy Washik’s lawyer fees as of Sept. 12, before the fundraising platform pulled the plug on the campaign.
GoFundMe did not respond to a request for comment prior to publication. A friend of the Washik family, Kari Lee, told The Epoch Times the reason for the cancellation was the platform’s policy that it cannot be used for campaigns linked to legal matters involving criminal charges.
“They were kind enough to redirect to GiveSendGo,” Lee said. “They were very helpful to the family in this concern.”
Washik’s family has since launched a GiveSendGo fundraising campaign in a bid to raise $20,000 for Washik’s legal fees.
The 58-year-old mom of two and wife of a retired police officer was arrested Sept. 1. She was taken into custody after what police characterized as a “neighbour dispute” resulted in a “victim being physically assaulted,” according to a press release from the Norfolk County detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). The release said there were no injuries associated with the incident.
A description on the new fundraising campaign for Washik paints a different picture of the incident. It says Washik was participating in a water gun fight with a child from the neighbourhood during a community gathering when a “rogue spray of water” accidentally hit a neighbour.
“There was no intent to get the neighbour wet, and there was certainly and clearly no intent to injure anyone during this harmless activity,” the post reads.
The webpage says police were called, and Washik, an educational assistant who works with children with developmental disabilities, was arrested and charged. She has since been suspended from her role as an educational assistant, the post says.
A Change.org petition was launched Sept. 15, requesting the Ontario Provincial Court dismiss the charges against Washik.
“We are calling on the legal system to reconsider and drop the charge against Wendy Washik, so that she may continue to serve her community and support her family without this unnecessary hardship,” the petition reads.
The post goes on to describe Washik as an active and “cherished” member of the community where she lives with her husband, a retired OPP officer with “an extensive record of placing truly dangerous criminals behind bars.”
When previously contacted by The Epoch Times, the OPP declined to comment on the specifics of Washik’s arrest or the circumstances that led to her being charged. The Norfolk County detachment also declined to confirm if the weapon involved in the incident was indeed a water gun.
“Every situation is unique,” OPP spokesperson Const. Andrew Gamble said in an email. “The OPP’s role is to investigate the circumstances in the full context of the call for service and determine the best course of action in accordance with its legislated responsibilities.”
Gamble said further comment would be “inappropriate,” adding that it was essential for police to “protect the integrity of the investigation and any ensuing court processes.”
Washik is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Simcoe on Sept. 24.
