'That is not justice,' says mother of Jannai Dopwell-Bailey after youth handed 6 years for killing son

The mother of Jannai Dopwell-Bailey, the 16-year-old who was fatally stabbed outside his Montreal high school three years ago, believes her grief is a harsher punishment than the sentence given to the youth responsible for his death.

On Monday, the young man convicted of second-degree murder in Jannai's death was sentenced to six years, minus time served, leaving him with two more years in custody and three years under community supervision.

"That is not justice. He’s going to come out of jail, live his life, and I am going to continue grieving for my child until I die," said Charla Dopwell, Jannai's mother.

"I'm serving a life sentence."

The identity of the now 19-year-old offender is protected due to a publication ban, as he was a minor at the time of the incident.

At age 16, the offender, along with 18-year-old Andrei Donet, attacked Jannai with pepper spray, beat him, and fatally stabbed him outside his high school in Côte-des-Neiges on October 18, 2021. Donet, now 21, was sentenced to life in prison in June, with no chance of parole for 13 years, for his role in the second-degree murder.

In Canada, second-degree murder carries an automatic life sentence, with parole eligibility ranging from 10 to 25 years. For youths, however, the maximum sentence is seven years, with no more than four years in custody and the remainder under community supervision.

Dopwell feels that the youth's sentence doesn’t reflect the gravity of the crime.

"He committed an adult crime and should be sentenced as an adult," she said.

'He’s always in my heart'

Sitting in her Côte-des-Neiges home, where the walls are lined with photos and awards from Jannai’s life, Dopwell says it’s difficult to make changes around the house.

"I tried to move the photos to his room, but I can’t bring myself to take them down. I just can’t," she explained.

Jannai’s room remains untouched since his passing, a place Dopwell visits often to speak to him and pray.

"I wanted it to stay exactly the way he left it," she said.

At times, she says, his death feels unreal, "like one day I’ll wake up and see Jannai again." She remembered him as a vibrant, healthy boy who loved to dance and play video games.

Dopwell often wonders what kind of young man Jannai would be now at 19. By her rules, he would still have two years to wait before getting a tattoo.

Pointing to her neck, where the name "Jannai" is tattooed with a heart, Dopwell said it was her way of honoring him — something to help her heal.

"Some days I’m OK, other days I’m sad. I’m always thinking of him, and though I know he’s gone, I miss him so much. He’s always in my heart and in my mind."