A Victorian woman who strangled a 15-year-old girl she used to babysit will be released on parole after serving 15 years and five months behind bars.
Caroline Reed Robertson, now 36, was jailed for 20 years in 2000 for the murder of Rachel Barber with a non-parole period of 14 years and six months.
Robertson, who was 19 at the time of the killing, became eligible for parole last August, having already served more than 600 days in prison when she was sentenced.
The Adult Parole Board has confirmed Robertson's parole has been granted and she will be released on January 20, 2015.
The board said Robertson will be under the supervision of Community Correctional Services and subject to conditions including reporting conditions and not being permitted to leave Victoria.
"The purpose of parole is to provide a structured, supervised and supported transition back into the community for offenders, under conditions that are designed to minimise the risk of reoffending," the board said in a statement on Tuesday.
The board said it also takes into account the offender's behaviour in prison, the nature and circumstances of their offence, the offender's criminal history, whether they have undertaken treatment and other factors.
Robertson, who pleaded guilty to the murder, was depressed when she killed Rachel but not insane, the Victorian Supreme Court heard during her pre-sentence submissions.
The introverted administrative assistant wanted to "become" Rachel, the court heard.
She had carefully planned to lure her victim to her death before drugging and killing her and had intended to adopt the name Jem Southall, which is the maiden surname of the victim's mother.
Rachel's body was found in a shallow grave at a Kilmore property, north of Melbourne, owned by Robertson's father on March 13, 1999.
