On the same day his daughter was laid to rest, the man accused in her death has died in hospital.
Sources confirmed to the Toronto Sun that Roopesh Rajkumar — charged with first-degree murder in the Valentine’s Day death of his 11-year-old daughter, Riya — has died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound sustained just prior to his arrest north of Toronto.
Rajkumar, 41, was rushed to Sunnybrook hospital shortly after Peel Regional Police detectives took over custody from Orillia OPP.
Peel Police later confirmed he was suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, but have not disclosed the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Roopesh, who is estranged from Riya’s mother, had taken the young girl out to celebrate her birthday on Feb. 14. Riya’s mother — with whom the girl lived — grew worried when the pair failed to arrive at her Mississauga home at the pre-arranged time of 6:30 p.m. She contacted police when Roopesh began making comments suggesting he was going to hurt himself and the girl.
Police issued an Amber Alert at around 11:30 p.m., leading to a citizen spotting Rajkumar’s silver Honda Civic near Oro-Medonte, between Barrie and Orillia, shortly after midnight.
Rajkumar was taken into custody by OPP officers on Hwy. 11 after a tense, high-risk vehicle stop. At the same time of his arrest, Peel police officers were forcing their way into Roopesh’s Brampton home, where they found his daughter’s lifeless body.
Riya’s cause of death has not been released by police.
Family and friends of the Meadowvale Village Public School student said goodbye to Riya Wednesday morning, at a memorial service held at an Etobicoke funeral home. The night before, a public candlelight vigil was held in downtown Brampton.
Rajkumar was in the custody of guards from Toronto South Detention Centre while undergoing treatment in Sunnybrook’s trauma department.
He had remained in critical condition until his death Wednesday evening. (Toronto Sun)
