in the living room of vonThe Ontario, home where 10-year-old Anaya and four-year-old Jacques Chowdhry lived with their parents before they were killed by a speeding youth driver 21 months ago is a giant mural of cards of condolence, mementos and pictures of the two Of siblings.
The children’s mother says she tries to focus on how Jax and Anaya were when they were alive, not how they died. But for the past few days, Binta Patel and her husband are fed up and frustrated with the justice system and may be thinking of something else.
Last week, he received a call from the probation officer for a young offender who is serving a one-year sentence in an open youth facility. The parole officer tells them that the juvenile, who can only be identified by his initials CZ, has been granted the privilege of leaving the facility so that he can work part-time and is getting paid. He was not told where he was working.
Patel said, “It is shocking to me that he was allowed to work part-time outside the facility with two months left of his sentence, which was already a short sentence served.”
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In April 2022, CZ was sentenced to death on two counts of dangerous driving, followed by a 12-month custodial sentence, 12 months’ probation and a six-year driving ban.
Wiping away tears, Patel still remembers that fateful day – May 16, 2021 – when the family of five was in the driveway of their home. The children were riding on the bike.
“Being a mother who saw two of my children assaulted and killed by a young offender while knowing that my third child was right behind me and witnessed the same horror, in that moment, that day, I did not know what to do,” she said.
“It’s like what do I do? Who do I turn to? All three of them need my help, who do I help first? And that’s a moment I have to live with every day of my life.
Patel said it “seems very unfair” that CZ has been offered privileges
“Why is he being offered this after he has destroyed so much of our family?” He said.
“We are the ones who are left to deal with the consequences of his mistakes and it seems like he is just being rewarded, serving a custodial sentence while being able to go out and work,” she continued.
Patel said he had to speak up because his children cannot speak.
“Anaya and Jax. They are dead. They don’t have a voice. I thought it was important to talk about this because I don’t think the public knows how the justice system works,” she said.
Patel said that two months ago, she and her husband were informed that CZ wanted permission to work part-time in the community and the couple opposed it, which led to the probation officer’s backlash.
“We just wanted to let them know that our family is going through a lot of pain and suffering. This is not something that is fair,” she told the officer.
But this time, he said, he was told that the decision was final, that his input didn’t really matter and was not being considered.
When the parents asked to speak with the probation officer’s supervisor, they said they had been denied that right.
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Global News reached out to the Ministry of Children, Communities and Social Services, which oversees the Youth Justice Division, for answers.
In a statement, a media spokesperson for the MCCSS wrote, “While we cannot comment on the specifics of any case, we expect that public safety will be a top priority in case management decisions and that you will hear from the court for specific sentencing decisions.” Will be sent in.”
Anaya and Jax’s parents say they are trying to focus on their surviving daughter and keep the memories of their late children alive. They have created social media sites on Instagram and Facebook called “Remembering Anaya and Jax” to help the community find out who Anaya and Jax were.
“Anaya passed away two days before her 11th birthday. She was smart. She was competitive. Anaya became emotional. She loved to make love. She was a tomboy. She loved MMA. She loved sports. He liked basketball. She was creative. He loved making things,” said Patel, fighting back tears.
“She loved Asian foods. She loved noodles and sushi and more than anything she was a protector. She took care of her brother and sister.
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Patel said that Jax was his “baby”.
“And then there’s my Jackie. He was my baby. He was four. He had so much energy. He was wild. He was rambunctious. He loved to hug and kiss. He loved his big sisters. He loved dinosaurs, cheetahs and hyenas and he just loved to play,” she said.
“I want people to remember him and I want people to remember the way he lived.”
Patel understands the principle that young offenders can be rehabilitated but in this case he believes it is too soon.
“Different things need to be considered such as ‘What was the crime?’ How long was the sentence? How long did he serve? Did he hit anyone? If so, how many people were there and were they children?” She said. “He is already in an open detention facility and open detention facilities are ready for youth rehabilitation. So I don’t know what is the need for him to work part-time and earn money.
Patel believes that the criminal justice system needs to change, taking into account the input and views of victims and their families.
Patel says every day is a struggle but it feels like a nightmare.
“Just hearing that this child is being privileged has torn us into a million pieces. It seems that every time we come up for air, the justice system pushes us down again.
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