Police in Peel Region say they are investigating after a report surfaced that a Toronto-area man allegedly sold a legal but potentially deadly substance to people abroad who later used the chemical compound to take their own lives.
David Parfett’s son Tom died by suicide at the age of 22.
In an interview with Global News, Parfett said Tom was a “really bright guy,” who was studying philosophy at St. Andrews University in the United Kingdom.
“Apart from being bright he was a nice, kind kid,” Parfett said. “One of the teachers at his school described him as having an excellent moral compass.”
Parfett said Tom was “known and loved by a lot of people.”
However, Parfett said in the last few years of his life, Tom “did struggle with his mental health.”
According to Parfett, Tom had spoken openly about suicide before his death.
Parfett said Tom died after consuming sodium nitrite which was purchased online and shipped from Canada.
An exclusive report by the Times of London published earlier this week alleges the chemicals Tom used were purchased from a Toronto-area man named Kenneth Law.
The report alleges Law sent shipments of sodium nitrite to people who had expressed an interest in taking their own lives.
Law ran a website that has since been taken down. However, archived images show some products he allegedly sold, including various kitchen salts.
According to Parfett, he was able to purchase sodium nitrite, as his son did from the site allegedly run by Law.
Global News reached out to Law regarding the allegations, but he declined an interview.
In a text on Friday, Law said he “presently can’t speak openly.”
“Legal counsel has advised me to remain silent for the time,” the text read. “Post investigation I will connect with you and share my story.”
Law told The Globe and Mail that he was “selling a legal product,” and said he is not breaking any laws.
Law denied that he was targeting buyers who wanted to kill themselves, and said the Times had misrepresented his comments.
Sodium nitrite is legally sold in Canada.
Parfett claims little has been done by police in the United Kingdom to investigate the circumstances of his son’s death.
“Unfortunately, the police were showing no interest in the U.K. about this,” he said. “They’d seen it as just Tom has taken his own life.”
However, the report has prompted a police probe in Canada.
Peel Regional Police told Global News on Friday that the force has launched an investigation into what Law was doing, but said they haven’t made any arrests.
Law currently faces no charges. The allegations against him have not been proven in court.
Parfett said he feels Law should face justice.
“There’s overwhelming evidence that he knows what he’s doing, there’s overwhelming evidence that he’s assisted the suicide of potentially tens maybe even hundreds of people,” Parfett said. “So I have to admit I’m astonished that he’s still a free man.”
According to Canada’s Criminal Code, anyone who is found to have counselled or aided a person to die by suicide could face up to 14 years in prison.
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