Baby who died shortly after delivery after the mother was repeatedly stabbed is a considered a homicide

Canadian Criminal Code
When child becomes human being

  • (1) A child becomes a human being within the meaning of this Act when it has completely proceeded, in a living state, from the body of its mother, whether or not

    • (a) it has breathed;

    • (b) it has an independent circulation; or

    • (c) the navel string is severed.

  • Marginal note:Killing child

    (2) A person commits homicide when he causes injury to a child before or during its birth as a result of which the child dies after becoming a human being.

  • R.S., c. C-34, s. 206.

Montreal police responded to a domestic violence report on the evening of July 23.  On arrival police said the woman’s husband was not at the home and despite police recommendations, the woman didn’t want to leave the home.

Police received another call at approximately 2:30am on July 24th. The caller said a woman had been knocking at her door and was bleeding from the stomach.

The victim Raja Ghazi 33, was 8 months pregnant when she  was allegedly stabbed several times by her husband Sofiane Ghazi, 37.

Raja Ghazi underwent an emergency C-Section in hops of saving the baby. Ghazi’s child died a few hours after delivery. Raja Ghazi survived the stabbing.

Sofiane Ghazi turned himself into police and was charged with first-degree murder of the child and the attempted murder of his wife.

The 2017 Montreal Homicide Victim List is available here.