Peel police have charged a 28-year-old pregnant woman with second-degree murder in connection with the stabbing death of a man during a baby shower on Monday afternoon.
Police were called to a house on Churchill Avenue in the Malton region of Mississauga just after 3 p.m., where they found a man suffering from a single stab wound.
Investigators were told at first the wound was self-inflicted, but evidence uncovered later suggested this was not the case.
The victim was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
He has been identified as 21-year-old Jay Kumar Atha. A post-mortem is scheduled for Tuesday morning.
Atha's father refused to comment on the situation when approached by CTV Toronto.
"It's not the right time to talk," he said through tears.
Peel Police Const. Wayne Patterson told ctvtoronto.ca that there are several eyewitnesses to the crime, as it appears a baby shower was taking place at the home prior to the stabbing. However, most of the guests left before police arrived.
Atha was an uninvited guest, witnesses told CTV Toronto.
"The relationship between the two suspects and the victim was of a drug nature," Patterson said. "They did know each other through drugs."
Barbara Lanthier, who is seven months pregnant, is charged with second-degree murder, while her common-law husband Faisal Malik, 38, is charged with accessory after the fact to murder.
Patterson would not give specific details about the relationship between the victim and the accused. However he did confirm that "there was a pre-existing relationship between them that was drug-related."
Patterson also said the two suspects are known to police.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Peel Homicide Bureau at 905-453-2121, ext. 3205, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
The death marks Peel's second homicide of 2009.
With a report from CTV Toronto's Jim Junkin
