Delta Woman Found Not Criminally Responsible for Killing Mother
Subhadarshi Tripathy
6/22/20262 min read
A Delta, B.C., woman who admitted to killing her mother has been found not criminally responsible for the death because of a mental disorder.
Preety Teena Kaur Panesar pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of her mother, Sarabjit Kaur Panesar, whose body was found on December 18, 2023.
Both Crown prosecutors and defence lawyers asked the court to find Preety not criminally responsible. B.C. Supreme Court Justice Baljinder Kaur Girn agreed, relying on psychiatric assessments that found she was suffering from schizophrenia at the time of the killing.
Court Finds Mental Illness Affected Her Understanding
In a decision made public Friday and dated May 27, the court heard evidence from multiple doctors who said Preety had a psychotic illness that became more severe in the months before her mother’s death.
Girn wrote that Preety lacked the capacity to understand that what she was doing was morally wrong.
The judge found that, because of her schizophrenia, Preety was experiencing delusional beliefs that caused her to see her mother as a serious and immediate threat to her life.
Sarabjit had been living with Preety at a townhouse on 47A Avenue in Ladner, where she was killed.
According to the judgment, Sarabjit died from multiple blunt and/or sharp-force injuries.
Judge Addresses Family’s Loss
Girn addressed the Panesar family in the decision, saying they had endured a horrific tragedy while continuing to support Preety in her recovery.
The judge said he hoped the family would be comforted by memories of Sarabjit before the tragedy and that the hearing would bring some closure.
Preety was ordered to provide a DNA sample to the court. She is also prohibited from possessing firearms for 10 years.
Case Moves to B.C. Review Board
Preety will now be referred to the B.C. Review Board, which will determine the next steps for her treatment and supervision.
The board will also decide whether she can eventually be released back into the community.
Addressing Preety, Girn noted that she has support from her family and encouraged her to continue working with doctors to manage her illness.
The judge said he hoped she would one day be able to reunite with her family and begin again.
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