Sunita Dharamdial is prepared for many more agonizing days and sleepless nights, trying to deal with the death of her son Rajiv.
Even if it means being in court for every appearance of the 15-year-old Brampton boy who police allege took her 14-year-old son’s life.
The accused teen made another brief court appearance yesterday with his lawyer Gary Batasar asking that he be remanded in custody until Nov. 5.
Sunita intends to be in court again at that time-likely wearing another T-shirt with her son’s photo emblazoned across the front.
In yesterday’s appearance, the accused boy casually glanced around the Brampton courtroom without making eye contact. He was dressed in the same black hoodie under a plaid blue and white jacket that he wore during Wednesday’s court appearance.
A few feet away, Sunita, crying and being comforted by family members and friends, sat in the gallery staring at the young boy charged with first-degree murder. Rajiv was buried Tuesday.
“I can’t eat,”she said as she left the courthouse.
“I’ve asked the police why did this happen but they can’t give me answers,”Sunita said, wearing a t-shirt with the words “Always loved, forever remembered”above and below Rajiv’s photo.
“His memories are all that I have now,”she said, saying she intends to wear different t-shirts showing his smile”each time she goes out.
On Wednesday she and other relatives wore different t-shirts when she started at her son’s alleged killer for the first time in court.
Yesterday’s court appearance lasted barely two minutes.
“It’s a serious charge,”Batasar said outside of the courthouse. “This is a tragedy for everybody‚Äö√Ѭ∂”
Batasar has seen some disclosure but the sweeping publication ban ordered under Canada’s youth laws prevents him from commenting on the allegations against his client.
“My client’s family is doing well as expected,” Batasar said. “This is a 15-year-old boy who has been charged with first-degree murder. It is a serious offence that he is clearly upset about.”
Peel Police have revealed very little about the case except that the Grade 9 student at Sandalwood Heights Secondary was stabbed multiple times as he walked home through an undeveloped ravine behind his Fairwind Dr. home Oct.14.
An arrest was made Wednesday morning when the accused was awaken from his bed at his parent’s home, a police source said.
Based on the first-degree murder charge, Peel homicide detectives believe the slaying was planned and premeditated.
Family members haven’t been told why the deadly attack occurred. They say nothing was stolen from Rajiv. He had $90 in a knapsack that wasn’t touched, his mother said.
Police questioned several young teens in connection with the killing but no other arrests have been announced.
At the time of the killing, police revealed they were looking for two black teens, aged 14 to 16, who were seen following Rajiv moments before the attack.
Bob Mitchell
The Star