A woman who was found not criminally responsible for the murder of her baby has been granted an absolute discharge.
CTV News has decided not to name the woman.
During her trial in 2021, she was found not criminally responsible on account of a mental disorder for the second-degree murder of her eight-month-old child.
A hospital report said the woman stabbed her son multiple times at their apartment near Fairway Road South and Wilson Avenue in Kitchener, Ont., while she was experiencing a major psychotic incident on Aug. 9, 2020. The report also noted she had a history of mental health struggles that had previously resulted in hospitalizations for psychosis.
“At the time of her arrest, she was highly psychotic, experiencing command auditory hallucinations commanding her to sacrifice her child,” the report said.
Schizoaffective disorder, bipolar
A panel hearing by the Ontario Review Board (ORB) was held on March 24, 2026.
Notes from that hearing said she has been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type and had cannabis use disorder, which is considered to be in sustained remission.
The document stated her psychotic episodes generally occurred while she was using drugs or not taking medication properly.
The woman stopped taking her medications when she learned she was pregnant.
After being found not criminally responsible for her son’s death, she was held at a forensic hospital and then lived with her mother in Kitchener for the last three years. During that time, a Forensic Outreach Treatment team and a forensic psychiatrist have continued to work with her.
In Ontario, the ORB is responsible for managing people who have been found not criminally responsible due to a mental disorder, including overseeing appropriate treatment.
The hearing panel considered her behaviour over the last year.
“At times, she experienced anxiety and some odd beliefs that impacted her daily functioning, often presenting with recurring thoughts. … [she] demonstrated insight into these experiences and was able to draw on her supports (family and treatment team), PRN medication [taken when needed] and CBT [Cognitive Behavioural Therapy] skills as part of her coping strategies,” an ORB document noted.
The report also said she had been described as “sociable and co-operative” and attended all her appointments with her treatment team and community-based support system.
“She remains highly co-operative in treatment suggestions and prioritizes the maintenance of her mental health,” the document said.
Board ‘wishes her every success in the future’
The panel was told she has full insight into the death of her baby and understands that if she were to stop taking her medication or begin using cannabis again, she could become violent.
The woman was offered a subsidized apartment that is supported by her treatment team. If living alone turns out to be too stressful, they said she is welcome to go back to living with her mother.
The panel determined the woman is no longer a significant threat to the public and has robust supports in place.
Given the evidence before it, the ORB granted an absolute discharge.
“The board congratulates [her] on her dedication to her continued well-being and wishes her every success in the future.”
