NEWMARKET - "It is a no-win situation," posted Jennifer Neville-Lake on her Facebook page before announcing convicted drunk driver Marco Muzzo had received day parole.
"My family's killer, drunk driver Marco Michael Muzzo has been granted day parole," she wrote.
Her children, Daniel, 9, Harrison, 5, and Milly, 2, and their 65-year-old grandfather, Gary Neville, were killed in September 2015 when Muzzo sped through a Vaughan intersection, colliding with their van.
Muzzo pleaded guilty to four counts of impaired driving causing death and two counts of impaired driving causing bodily harm in 2016.
The Parole Board of Canada permitted Neville-Lake to listen to the parole hearing by telephone, as due to COVID-19 restrictions, she was not allowed to be present at Beaver Creek Institution in Gravenhurst where Muzzo is serving a 10-year sentence.
"He has served just over one year for each of the deaths that he caused," Neville-Lake said in an online video. "It's not fair that he can be released prior to serving all of the minimal sentence that he received for this destruction of my family."
Thousands posted on social media to condemn the decision as a "miscarriage of justice", "ridiculous", "despicable", "shameful" and "heartbreaking." Many others expressed condolences to Neville-Lake.
"I am so sorry for everything you have endured, and continue to endure. There are no words. Your dignity and grace continue to shine bright over the memories of your loved ones and they are in the hearts and minds of all of us," wrote Britta Hild on Neville-Lake's Facebook page.
Muzzo's previous applications for day and full parole in November 2018 were denied, due to his lack of insight into his drinking habits and the risk they may pose to the public, according to the parole board.
Neville-Lake thanked people who wrote community statements urging the board to deny parole.
"No matter what happened today, Daniel, Harry and Milly don't get to come back home. My dad isn't coming home to my mom. Nothing changes for me. If you wrote a Community Statement for my family, thank you for doing your best. I know I did my best."
