Eleanor Doney’s daughter feels confused, heartbroken, and still in mourning over the pointless murder of her elderly mother.
After the 14-year-old boy who killed her mother was given the maximum youth sentence for first-degree murder, Judy Kirwin spoke outside the Oshawa courthouse on Wednesday, expressing her disappointment with the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) and a recent Supreme Court ruling.
This ruling prevents young offenders, like the teenager who violently attacked her mother without provocation, from being sentenced as adults.
“Eleanor Doney, the 83-year-old victim of this crime, was my mom. Ironically, ‘Eleanor’ means ‘shining light,’ and this light is now highlighting issues within the Canadian Youth Justice System. Are we protecting our youth or is justice truly being served?” she questioned.
“Her tragic death cries out for justice. This young man pled guilty to first-degree murder. It’s known that this murder was planned ahead of time. I understand that an adult sentence for first-degree murder is 25 years. New laws prevent him from facing trial as an adult.
“What I wonder is whether this young man can really be rehabilitated after just six years in custody and four years under supervision in the community? It’s concerning to hear in court that he still has an interest in serial killers.” Story continues below She challenged a Supreme Court decision made in July 2025, just two months after her mother’s murder, which stated that to sentence someone as an adult, prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the young person has moral maturity similar to that of an adult at the time of their offense. “We’re letting our youth down by minimizing their understanding of right and wrong,” Kirwin said. “Consequently, we are failing to achieve what the justice system is meant to do: keep our communities safe.” The statement read out after the sentencing by Judy Kirwin, the victim’s daughter. Superior Court Justice Lisa Wannamaker sentenced A. S., as he is identified due to a publication ban under YCJA, to six years in custody followed by four years under supervision in the community. The Crown and defense agreed on this maximum sentence. Wannamaker also credited A. S. with one year for time served since his arrest. Story continues below A. S.’s identity remains protected because of a publication ban associated with YCJA.
She mentioned that while A. S. still exhibits interests tied to violence and harm towards others along with fascination about serial killers, he shows increased insight and willingness toward therapeutic options. The court learned that since his arrest more than a year ago, A. S. has started Grade 9 and earned five credits with scores ranging from 80s to 90s while completing over 45 hours of community service. “Since entering custody, he’s improved his verbal communication skills significantly and even joined extracurricular activities for the first time,” Wannamaker reported. Diving into A. S.’s background before his mother’s death, Wannamaker told how his family immigrated from Pakistan during different periods; first his father then later his mother came over. He is their youngest child among four siblings; when he was around five years old his father relocated to America for work but continued visiting every five or six weeks. Story continues below The court also heard about A. S.’s living conditions where from age twelve onward he had shared a room with his grandmother; it wasn’t easy since she only communicated in Urdu. There were conflicting reports regarding past family tensions too. A. S.’s parents described him as cheerful and talkative during childhood claiming he adapted well when starting elementary school without any academic difficulties observed back then. “However,” said Wannamaker “school records reflected some discrepancies; they noted that beginning in Grade 5 he often wore distinctive clothing-specifically black suits paired with trenchcoats carrying briefcases-outfits inspired by characters from media like Patrick Bateman from American Psycho or Yoshikage Kira from anime series.”
“What I wonder is whether this young man can really be rehabilitated after just six years in custody and four years under supervision in the community? It’s concerning to hear in court that he still has an interest in serial killers.” Story continues below She challenged a Supreme Court decision made in July 2025, just two months after her mother’s murder, which stated that to sentence someone as an adult, prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the young person has moral maturity similar to that of an adult at the time of their offense. “We’re letting our youth down by minimizing their understanding of right and wrong,” Kirwin said. “Consequently, we are failing to achieve what the justice system is meant to do: keep our communities safe.” The statement read out after the sentencing by Judy Kirwin, the victim’s daughter. Superior Court Justice Lisa Wannamaker sentenced A. S., as he is identified due to a publication ban under YCJA, to six years in custody followed by four years under supervision in the community. The Crown and defense agreed on this maximum sentence. Wannamaker also credited A. S. with one year for time served since his arrest. Story continues below A. S.’s identity remains protected because of a publication ban associated with YCJA.
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Get daily Canada news delivered to your inbox so you’ll never miss the day’s top stories. Wannamaker explained that A. S., now 15 years old, will serve an Intensive Rehabilitative Custody and Supervision sentence designed specifically for violent youth offenders with mental health concerns. The judge noted he meets all necessary criteria and has agreed to take part. “A plan has been set up aimed at lowering his risk of reoffending,” Wannamaker said.She mentioned that while A. S. still exhibits interests tied to violence and harm towards others along with fascination about serial killers, he shows increased insight and willingness toward therapeutic options. The court learned that since his arrest more than a year ago, A. S. has started Grade 9 and earned five credits with scores ranging from 80s to 90s while completing over 45 hours of community service. “Since entering custody, he’s improved his verbal communication skills significantly and even joined extracurricular activities for the first time,” Wannamaker reported. Diving into A. S.’s background before his mother’s death, Wannamaker told how his family immigrated from Pakistan during different periods; first his father then later his mother came over. He is their youngest child among four siblings; when he was around five years old his father relocated to America for work but continued visiting every five or six weeks. Story continues below The court also heard about A. S.’s living conditions where from age twelve onward he had shared a room with his grandmother; it wasn’t easy since she only communicated in Urdu. There were conflicting reports regarding past family tensions too. A. S.’s parents described him as cheerful and talkative during childhood claiming he adapted well when starting elementary school without any academic difficulties observed back then. “However,” said Wannamaker “school records reflected some discrepancies; they noted that beginning in Grade 5 he often wore distinctive clothing-specifically black suits paired with trenchcoats carrying briefcases-outfits inspired by characters from media like Patrick Bateman from American Psycho or Yoshikage Kira from anime series.”