The recent trial of a Saint John resident who was found guilty of fatally stabbing his two sons has prompted shock and a quest for understanding on how to prevent similar tragedies. Roman Kamyshnyy, aged 46, received two concurrent life sentences without parole for 25 years after being convicted of two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his 10 and 17-year-old sons.

According to domestic violence expert Peter Jaffe, while it may be incomprehensible for most people, incidents where parents kill their children are not uncommon. Studies show that approximately 30 children in Canada are killed by a parent each year, with about half of these cases occurring in situations involving intimate partner violence.

A study released earlier this year revealed that New Brunswick has the highest number of domestic violence-related homicides in Atlantic Canada. The province also had the highest annual death rate when adjusted for population size. Mary Aspinall, an assistant professor specializing in criminology, emphasized that in cases where children are killed, they are often used as a means to inflict further harm on the other parent, usually the mother.

In the case of Kamyshnyy, the Crown argued that the murders were driven by vengeance, with Kamyshnyy using his sons’ lives as a weapon to retaliate against his ex-wife. The tragic incident occurred in January 2025, when the boys were found stabbed to death in their family apartment in Saint John.

Jaffe highlighted the importance of recognizing warning signs and risk factors associated with domestic violence to prevent such incidents. He stressed the need for public education and awareness campaigns to empower communities in identifying and addressing potential risks early on.

Aspinall emphasized the need for a paradigm shift in understanding relationship abuse and called for updated risk-assessment tools to evaluate potential harm toward children. She welcomed recent criminal code reforms criminalizing coercive control in intimate relationships as a step forward in preventing domestic violence.

While there is optimism that domestic homicides can be reduced in the future with a genuine commitment to implementing and funding prevention strategies, experts stress the importance of taking concrete actions to address the root causes of domestic violence.