‘Brilliant, funny’: Young Ontario man who died after taking sodium nitrite remembered by family

An Ontario mother alleges her 19-year-old son was sold a deadly substance from an Ontario man who is accused of selling it online to those at risk of self-harm.

Kim Prosser says her son Ashtyn purchased sodium nitrite from Kenneth Law, a 57-year-old Mississauga, Ont. man who is facing 14 counts of counselling or aiding suicide in the province of Ontario alone.

“He was just this brilliant, funny and colourful kid. He was a loving soul who, you know, just really cared for people,” Prosser told Alex Pierson, Host on 640 Toronto, 900CHML and 980CFPL, on Friday.

Prosser said her son began struggling with mental health during school closures amid the COVID-19 lockdowns. She said her son was on the honour role system but by the end of Grade 11 he had fallen behind.

“By the end of Grade 12, he was fighting to graduate in April of 2021,” Prosser said. She said it was the first time she had received a call from her son telling her that he had thoughts of suicide and he didn’t know what to do.

Ashtyn died by suicide in March, a month before he would have turned 20.

Prosser has launched a GoFundMe in honour of her son and is hosting a fundraising memorial in Wheatley, Ont. on Saturday in celebration of Ashtyn’s life and honouring his legacy.

In the spring of this year, police announced they were looking into multiple cases of suicide that may be connected to Law. At the time he was facing two charges in Peel Region.

Law is now facing 14 charges of counselling or aiding suicide in Ontario. The charges span across the following regions: four in Toronto, three in Peel Region, three in York Region, one in Durham Region, one in London, Ont., one in Thunder Bay and one in Waterloo Region.

Police have previously said Law is suspected of sending at least 1,200 packages to more than 40 countries.

At a police press conference in Ontario last month, York Regional Police Insp. Simon James said it is believed Law was operating the websites as of approximately late 2020.

James said Law was believed to be associated with additional companies that were registered under the following names: Imtime Cuisine, AmbuCA, Academic/ACademic, Escape Mode/escMode and ICemac.

An investigation into Law has now spread worldwide with authorities in the U.K., United States, Italy, Australia and New Zealand looking into cases connected to Law.

Britain’s National Crime Agency said it has identified 232 people in the U.K. who bought products from the websites in the two years until April. The agency said 88 of them died.

Meanwhile, Prosser has said since publicly sharing her story she has received a ton of support from those who want to donate or from others who can relate to losing a child.

“I’m fortunate to be able to experience all of this and learn from everyone in this,” Prosser said.

EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, support is available 24/7 by calling Talk Suicide Canada (1-833-456-4566) or, for residents of Quebec, 1 866 APPELLE (1-866-277-3553). The U.S. suicide and crisis lifeline is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org. In the U.K., the Samaritans can be reached at 116 123 or http://www.samaritans.org.