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th ei fp .c a Th e IF P -H al to n H ill s | T hu rs da y, M ay 16 ,2 01 9 | 10 ered in mud, and Best said she suspected the same thing had happened. Now, Best-Degeer isn't able to ride his bike around the neighbourhood with- out supervision. "He's stuck here, and that's horrid," Best said. Before, Best-Degeer would ride his bike around the neighbourhood for hours, occasionally com- ing home to check in before heading back out. "Dylan's freedom has been taken away," Best said. "It's driving him bat- ty." The family moved to Georgetown 18 years ago, and Best said they chose this neighbourhood specif- ically for its safety. Her sis- ter lives at the top of the street, and the family keeps an eye out for her son when he's riding around the neighbourhood on his bike or his scooter. "You only have to meet him once to know who he is," Best said. When he was 20, Best- Degeer graduated from Georgetown District High School, and he now attends a day program at Commu- nity Living. "We take him to the pro- gram in the morning, and he'd be home before his sis- ter in the afternoon, for a couple of hours," Best said. Outside of the day pro- gram, Best-Degeer is very involved with Special Olympics, participating in a wide range of activities, from bowling to hockey. "He'll trust everybody for the rest of his life," Best said. "He's a good soul." Best said her son wants to be everyone's friend. "He's like a kid in a grown man's body," Best said. "He just loves life." Halton police confirmed an investigation took place, but details could not be provided due to the ages of those involved. No charges were laid. "It is an extremely un- fortunate situation when anyone is the victim of bul- lying," said Const. Steve Elms, who is with the Hal- ton Regional Police Ser- vice. "It is even more sad- dening to hear of situations where 'bullies' prey on vul- nerable persons in our schools and community. The schools and police have gone to great lengths, over the past several years, to shed light on the nega- tive effects of bullying and to attempt to put a stop to it." Although no charges were laid, Elms said any- one between the ages of 12 and 17 may be charged with an offence under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. For now, Best-Degeer isn't able to ride his bike, but Best said she's pur- chased a GPS tracker for her son, which will make it easier to keep an eye on where he's going. "Unless I quit my job, he has no freedom," Best said. "We have no freedom." NEWS Continued from page 1 POLICE INVESTIGATE, NO CHARGES LAID Dylan Best-Degeer and his mother Wendi Best. A recent incident of bullying has meant less freedom for Best-Degeer. Bryan Myers/Torstar SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AT THEIFP.CA THISWEEK: Suspect may have jumped on a bicycle after deadly front porch shooting. Always online first at TheIFP.ca/coldcase UNSOLVED: ONTARIO COLD CASES