Guyanese father charged with daughter’s murder injured by self-inflicted gunshot wound

Roopesh Rajkumar

Canadian police say that Roopesh Rajkumar of Guyana sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound before being arrested in connection with his daughter’s murder.

The body of 11-year-old Riya Rajkumar was found at a home on Hansen Road North, near Queen Street and Kennedy Road, in Brampton shortly after an Amber Alert was issued following her disappearance.

The girl’s mother had gone to police after Rajkumar failed to return the girl on time after taking her out for her birthday.

Canadian press reports say that Rajkumar, 41, was taken to hospital after his arrest by Provincial Police in Oro-Medonte shortly after Riya’s body was found and was taken to hospital for injuries. Constable Danny Marttini says Rajkumar’s injury wasn’t discovered until provincial police transferred him into the custody of Peel police.

Marttini says Rajkumar was then brought to a hospital, where the gunshot wound was discovered.

The SIU was contacted, but have determined they will not be invoking their mandate, the reports say.

Rajkumar has since been charged with first-degree murder and will appear in court when he is medically cleared to attend.

A funeral for the 11-year-old is scheduled to be held on Wednesday according to a memorial page set up on the Lotus Funeral and Cremation Centre website, the reports say.