A Quebec father who has been charged in the connection with the deaths of his two children has been ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.
Kamaljit Arora, 45, appeared in court by phone Thursday after he was charged last month. His arraignment was repeatedly delayed for more than two weeks due to the “state of his health.”
The evaluation was ordered to determine if he is fit to stand trial, according to Quebec’s Crown prosecution office.
The accused was arrested Oct. 17 after Laval police discovered the bodies of an 11-year-old boy and his 13-year-old sister inside their family home. Police officers tried to revive two children, but they were taken to hospital and pronounced dead a short time later.
Arora, who was also taken to to hospital with unspecified injuries, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in their deaths. He is also charged with one count of assault by strangulation of his wife.
Quebec’s Crown prosecutor office confirmed Arora will be back in court on Nov. 10.
The province’s human and youth rights commission also launched a separate and independent probe into the children’s deaths. It will specifically look into whether the rights of the young victims were violated.