Laval Father's Mental Health Struggles Detailed in Child Murder Trial
Kamaljit Arora, the 49-year-old Laval man on trial for the first-degree murders of his two children in 2022, had a documented history of severe mental health issues that included hospitalization for suicidal thoughts more than a year before the tragedy, according to recent court testimony.
Psychiatrist Details Patient's Severe Depression and Anxiety
During proceedings at the Laval courthouse, psychiatrist Muneeb Ahmad of Cité-de-la-Santé Hospital testified about his treatment of Arora from December 2020 through August 2022. The doctor explained that Arora initially presented with "mood symptoms, depression and extreme anxiety" during his first three-day hospital stay in December 2020.
Ahmad described how Arora suffered from what he called "pathological anxieties" about family finances and perceived failures, including a brief move to Winnipeg that the patient viewed as disastrous. "He basically felt he failed as the head of the family, that he had caused the financial failure of his family," Ahmad testified via video conference.
Suicide Attempt and Ongoing Treatment
The psychiatrist revealed a particularly alarming incident that occurred on April 4, 2021, when Laval police found Arora standing alone on a bridge with his cellphone left in his car. Earlier that day, Arora had taken his son to play at a park before telling his family he was making a quick grocery run.
When he failed to return, his wife called 911, leading to his discovery on the bridge and subsequent hospitalization for what medical staff documented as "suicidal ideation." Ahmad noted this development was particularly surprising since both Arora's wife and son had recently reported he was doing better, with his son even declaring his father "was cured."
Irrational Fears and Family Concerns
Throughout his treatment, Arora expressed persistent fears that were not grounded in reality, according to the psychiatrist's testimony. During a May 2021 appointment, Arora voiced concerns that his children would "end up in the streets with nothing to eat" despite no evidence supporting this scenario.
In that same session, Arora unexpectedly opened up about believing the voltage in their apartment was too low, causing his wife to undercook food and resulting in his severe constipation. His wife, Rama Rani Arora, testified earlier in the trial that these concerns had no basis in reality.
Medication and Substance Use
Ahmad's testimony covered three key areas: how Arora became his patient, the severity of his depression, and the medications prescribed to treat it along with "street fentanyl" that Arora claims to have consumed on the day his children died. After his initial hospitalization, Arora was prescribed Zoloft, an antidepressant medication.
The psychiatrist noted that Arora "always minimized his symptoms" during appointments and was typically "a man of few words" who remained pessimistic about his situation. Despite this, Ahmad scheduled appointments at unusually short intervals, with some conducted by phone to accommodate Arora's new job at a clothing retailer.
Tragic Outcome Despite Intervention
Arora admits to causing the deaths of his 11-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter by drowning them inside the family's Laval home on October 17, 2022. His psychiatric treatment continued until August 2022, just two months before the children's deaths.
During the April 2021 hospitalization following the bridge incident, hospital notes indicated Arora repeated his exaggerated financial fears, stating "the family will suffer" because of his perceived failures as family provider. His wife expressed such concern that she wanted to prevent him from going to work and avoid leaving him alone.
Ahmad is expected to resume his testimony as the trial continues, providing further insight into the mental health background of a man now facing two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of his children.
