A father has been arrested after a one-year-old girl was found dead inside the family's North Delta home early Friday. Police have not confirmed the identity of the suspect or his relationship to the victim, but neighbours say the girl was the youngest daughter of Lakhvinder Kahlon and his wife, Manjit.
A close friend of the family, Surinder Johal, said Kahlon had been depressed for the last five or six months over the birth of another girl. According to Johal, Manjit walked her two older daughters to school and came back to find that the baby girl had been stabbed multiple times with a kitchen knife. Delta police spokesman Const. Paul Eisenzimmer said officers were called to a possible homicide in the home in the 7800-block 116th Ave. just before 9 a.m.
Eisenzimmer confirmed the child was "apparently murdered," and that police arrested one man. Eisenzimmer wouldn't confirm the exact age or sex of the child, nor the relationship of the suspect to the victim. But he said more information would be available at a media briefing at 1 p.m. Friday.
I believe that culture should enter into this discussion.
The facts are this:
Traditionally Indians have valued baby boys higher than baby girls.- This father was depressed because his baby was his 3rd consecutive girl, when he wished for a boy.
- His cultural norms reinforce his belief that boys are more desirable. The baby would likely be alive today if it had been born a boy.
Because of these traditional beliefs still held by many, it is imperative that the Indian community strongly condemn this murder and take further action to ensure that girls are valued and protected.
I have met so many smart and strong Indian women that I'm puzzled why these traditional values still persist.
It is such a disappointment to see a baby murdered in Canada by her parent just because she happened to be the wrong gender.
Tonight I will light a candle for her.
EL APOSTOL
http://www.a-procare.com
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