The mother of a young boy who was killed by his father says she is furious that halfway into an eight-year sentence the boy’s father is applying for parole.

Matthew Peter-Paul was three years old when he died at the hands of his father almost six years ago. Allisan Tucker, Matthew’s mother, says she’s now reliving that pain because the man who admitted to taking her child’s life may soon be released on parole.

“I've finally gotten to a place where I'm not you know, devastated by it, and I can live my life somewhat normally, and now it's like all over again,” she said.

James Peter-Paul was originally charged with second-degree murder, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Matthew was at home with his father on the Indian Brook First Nation in October 2010. He died the next morning from a ruptured pancreas caused by blunt force trauma.

“I didn't think eight years was enough, and now he only gets half the time, I really just don't understand,” said Tucker. “If they do give him parole, I'm going to be really confused and really hurt.”

Tucker says Peter-Paul has applied for parole and a hearing has been schedule for May. While the Parole Board of Canada won't confirm that hearing, it has said Peter-Paul was eligible for full parole in August 2014.

However, the board also points out that doesn't mean an automatic release.

“I've been told that he's been out on at least six escorted absences, and that's been in preparation for him to have parole,” said Tucker. “I've been told also that he was moved to minimum security, also to prepare him for parole.”

Mark Knox is a Halifax lawyer who also serves as the national vice-president of an organization that helps reintegrate offenders when they are released.

“It doesn't mean necessarily you go home, and you're done,” said Knox. “It doesn't mean a walk in the park. It can be very demanding and it can be very fulfilling.”

He also says parole is important to a society as a whole, providing a better success rate for offenders on the street.

However, Tucker is only concerned with one offender, and has started a Facebook page asking for public support.

“Maybe it will have some weight on the decision,” she said.

Matthew would have been nine years old in April. Robbed of the chance to celebrate his birthday, Tucker says all she can do now is fight to keep the man who took her son’s life behind bars.

With files from CTV’s Kayla Hounsell