Vincent Bear displays a photo of his 14-month-old daughter Vanessa Houle, who was seriously assaulted in Winnipeg, Man., early Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2009. (Sun Media/Brian Donogh)

WINNIPEG -- The father of a little girl seriously beaten earlier this week is furious the 19-year-old woman accused in the attack was out on bail at the time, despite alleged repeated court-order breaches.

Vincent Bear said the woman should've been kept in custody, given the fact she allegedly violated conditions of her release nine times in a two-month period, in addition to other alleged crimes.

"Somebody like that, they shouldn't be running around on the streets," said Bear, whose 14-month-old daughter Vanessa is recovering in hospital after Tuesday morning's abduction and attack on Chudley Street.

The toddler suffered serious injuries to her face and head but has made a significant recovery since she arrived in hospital in critical condition. She is now stable. "She should be OK," Bear said yesterday.

Tory MLA Kelvin Goertzen, the party's justice critic, said he, too, wonders why the woman was given bail. He attacked the NDP government's bail policy, accusing it of being too lenient.

'Preventable'

"This is a situation where the crime could have been prevented," Goertzen said.

Bear said he was angered and sickened by the assault.

"I'm trying to blank it out of my head," said Bear, who is separated from the girl's mother, Daisy Houle. He said the pair also has a four-year-old son and two-year-old daughter.

The suspect allegedly snatched Vanessa from her crib, took her from Houle's Gilbert Avenue home, and repeatedly smashed her face into a concrete sidewalk.

Police spokesman Const. Jason Michalyshen said he hasn't been told what the motive was. He was unaware if the child abuse unit has identified one.

Police have charged Nikita Solange Eaglestick, 19, with attempted murder and other offences.

Eaglestick, who doesn't have any adult convictions, was granted bail about four days before the assault.

She was in custody for an Aug. 21 incident in Little Grand Rapids First Nation, her home community, where she allegedly resisted arrest, made threats and breached court orders to abstain from alcohol and keep the peace. The Crown didn't oppose bail.

Prior to that, it's alleged Eaglestick failed to abstain or keep the peace seven times since the conditions were imposed July 10, when she was charged in a serious assault in Little Grand Rapids, according to court records.

chris.kitching@sunmedia.ca