Mother of British Victim Tells Canadian Court of Devastation Caused by Poison Seller

The mother of a British victim of poison seller Kenneth Law has described how her son’s death has “destroyed” their family. Tanya Whitaker broke down as she delivered a video statement detailing the impact of her son Samuel’s death during the sentencing hearing for Law in Ontario, Canada.

Samuel Whitaker, a University of Warwick student, was found collapsed outside his halls after consuming poison sold by Law. Law has admitted to 14 counts of aiding suicide in Canada and has been linked to nearly 80 deaths in the United Kingdom. While a plea deal means Law will not face charges in the UK for those deaths, statements from affected families are being presented this week.

"The enormity of losing a child is catastrophic," Whitaker told the Canadian court. "Samuel was just 19 when he was handed the tools that ended his precious life. It has broken me completely and utterly. It has broken us as a family and me as a mother. Our son died alone at university 100 miles away from his family. We will never be able to forgive ourselves for this happening."

She added that her husband, Paul, Samuel's father, is now a "shell of himself today. Broken and devastated beyond repair."

Debbie Cornish, mother of another British victim, Danielle, also shared her anguish. In a written statement, she referred to Law by initials KL and stated that "Words on paper can't even begin to describe the painful loss of our amazing daughter." Cornish described their lives as a "surreal nightmare" and said her family is "still fighting" to stay together nearly four years after Danielle’s death, compounded by the constant thoughts of how she died. She believes KL has changed the lives of many families globally.

Authorities stated that Law, a former chef, sold approximately 1,200 packages of toxic substances to individuals in 40 countries whom he met in online suicide forums. About a quarter of these packages were sent to the UK. Law was arrested in May 2023 following an extensive investigation involving law enforcement agencies from multiple countries, including the UK, Italy, and the US.

Statements from other parents were also presented to the court. Faith George, mother of Faith Ike-Elechi, recalled finding her daughter helpless on the floor after she had taken the poison, with her daughter's last words echoing daily. Maurice Dunham, father of Michael Dunham, recounted his last conversation with his son being an argument before he discovered Michael was dead upon returning home. He expressed feelings of self-blame for not stopping his son from leaving their hotel room early during a family holiday.

The mother of Yeanu Mistry stated that hearing of her son’s death was "the news every parent fears." Maureen Cooper, mother of poison victim Gary Cooper, called the pain of losing her son "unbearable," adding that "A death such as this is the thing of nightmares."

On Wednesday, the court heard from a British survivor who received an antidote and was saved after taking poison from Law. Elisabeth Belien shared her feelings of guilt for surviving, the impact on her loved ones, and shame about her vulnerability being exploited.