Mississauga set to honour Riya Rajkumar on one-year anniversary of her death

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Published February 14, 2020 at 9:21 pm

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The City of Mississauga will be honouring Riya Rajkumar, a young girl who was murdered by her late father in 2019, tonight by lighting the city hall clock tower purple.

On Feb. 14, Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie took to twitter to announce that the city will be lighting the tower to remember the 11-year-old girl who was killed one year ago today on her birthday. 

“Together with the community, I mourn this senseless loss and send my condolences to her family. We must do better to end violence against women and girls,” Crombie wrote. 

Rajkumar was a student at Meadowvale Village Public School.

On Feb. 14, 2019, an Amber Alert was put out for Rajkumar after her mother reported that she had not come home at the designated time she and her father, 41-year-old Roopesh Rajkumar, had agreed to.

Rajkumar was found dead at a Brampton home and her father was subsequently arrested by the OPP in the Township of Oro-Medonte and charged with first-degree murder.

On Feb. 17, 2019, police revealed that the accused was taken to a Toronto trauma centre with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. On Feb. 20, he passed away in the hospital.

“Riya was always a happy and positive child. She loved life and was always excited about everything that life had to offer. She never liked to be negative and always saw the good in every situation. If I’m ever upset she would say, ‘Mama don’t be sad, look at the positives,'” Rajkumar’s mother said in a 2019 statement. 

“She was always driven and motivated. Riya was a dreamer who wanted to become a doctor, drive a Lamborghini, and one day own a mansion. She was a little princess who loved dressing up, having her hair curled and make-up done. She was a social butterfly who loved to spend time with family and friends. She was a great dancer and singer, loved drake, and could beat anyone at a card game of Speed. She touched a lot of lives with her laughter and contagious big smile.”

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