Mother tells Halifax courtroom her life lost meaning after son was stabbed to death

Family members of a teenager who was killed in Halifax last year spoke about him in court on Tuesday.

HALIFAX — The grieving mother of a 16-year-old Halifax boy who was fatally stabbed last year delivered a heart-wrenching victim impact statement during a sentencing hearing today for two teens who have pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Speaking through an Arabic interpreter, Basima Al Jaji told youth court that the death of her son, Ahmad Al Marrach, has left her life without meaning.

Al Jaji told Judge Mark Heerema that she is still waiting for her son to walk through the front door of the family’s home, and she described how she is still hoping to wake up from a bad dream.

The Grade 10 student, who arrived in Canada with his family in 2016 after escaping the war in Syria, was found badly injured in a parking garage next to the Halifax Shopping Centre on April 22, and he died later in hospital.

The two accused, a 14-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy, entered their pleas in October, having admitted they knew they would be taking part in a group assault that could cause serious bodily harm.

In separate agreed statements of fact, each of the accused said they did not take part in the stabbing, for which four teens were charged.

A 14-year-old youth identified as the alleged killer is scheduled to stand trial for second-degree murder next month, and the trial for a 17-year-old boy also charged with second-degree murder started Jan. 6.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 21, 2025.