Montreal teenager remembered as 'beautiful person' on anniversary of stabbing death

Tuesday marked a grim anniversary for Charla Dopwell.

Her 16-year-old son, Jannai Dopwell-Bailey, was fatally stabbed exactly one year before, outside his school in Montreal's Cte-Des-NeigesNotre-Dame-De-Grce borough.

"It's hard and it's very painful. And it's very hard to process. But I keep the faith and I pray every day," said Dopwell, after a vigil Tuesday afternoon.

"I ask God to give me strength, to give me love, hope, salvation, understanding. I ask God to help all the children, the teenagers."

Dopwell wore a sweatshirt with her son's image on it a bright-eyed teenager, smiling face framed by dreadlocks.

His mother described him as caring and kind-hearted.

"I love my son very much," she said. "He was a beautiful person, inside and out."

WATCH | Community, mother remember slain teen:

Family and friends fight emotions at ceremony to mark anniversary of teen's slaying

2 years ago

Duration 2:24

Jannai Dopwell-Bailey's mother Charla Dopwell was among those who spoke at a ceremony marking one year since the 16-year-old was stabbed to death outside his school.

She reminisced about sitting with him as he talked about the latest dancers and rappers, two subjects he was passionate about.

"I miss those things," Dopwell said, explaining that Jannai'slife from birth to death keeps cycling through her mind."I am not sleeping so well."

'Here today and gone tomorrow'

During the vigil, Tyrese Dopwell-Bailey, Jannai's brother, said life is too short to let situations or people bring you down.

But, he added, it's important to squash those little fights or arguments you may have with loved ones or friends.

"Because people are here today and gone tomorrow," he said.

Jannai was a student at the Mile End high school program in Cte-des-Neiges, located in the basement of another school, Coronation Elementary.

According to police, there was a fight outside involving a group of teens that day and Jannai was stabbed in the upper body. He went into the school for help, was taken to hospital and later died.

Two people have been charged with second-degree murder in Jannai's death, one minor and an 18-year-old.

The minor was arrested about a month after the homicide and the 18-year-old a week after that.

The minor's preliminary hearing is set for Nov. 1, 8 and 9, said Patricia Johnson, a spokesperson for the prosecution, Directeur des poursuites criminelles et pnales (DPCP).

The 18-year-old's preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 12 and is expected to last nine days, according to Johnson.

Losing a positive voice in community

Dopwell said her son didn't deserve what happened to him. He was never violent toward those who are accused of killing him and he never hurt anybody, she said.

The truth will come out as the legal proceedings continue, she said, but no matter what happens in court, she expects that those responsible for her son's death will one day be free to breathe fresh air.

Meanwhile, her son will never experience the joys of graduating high school, starting a life, having children and grandchildren, she said.

Cte-Des-NeigesNDG borough Mayor Gracia Kasoki Katahwa spoke at the vigil.

"As a new mayor and especially as a Black woman trying to make a difference in this community, I wish to express my sincere condolences to Jannai's family and friends," she said.

No mother should have to bury her child, said Katahwa, voice shaking as she fought back tears.

"Last year, at the same date, we all lost something. We lost a happy kid with great potential. We lost an up-and-coming artist. We lost a positive voice in our community," she said.

Montreal Mayor Valrie Plante paid tribute to Dopwell-Bailey on Twitter Tuesday, saying the incident plunged the Cte-Des-NeigesNDG community into mourning.

"I think of his loved ones who have lost a loved one. May Jannai continue to live on in our minds and in our hearts," she said.