In 2015, Rohinie Bisesar fatally stabbed Rosemarie Junor inside a Toronto Shoppers Drug Mart during a psychotic episode. Following years of intensive psychiatric care, the Ontario Review Board has now granted Bisesar an absolute discharge.

The 2015 Wellington Street stabbing that shocked Toronto

The incident occurred on December 11, 2015, within the underground PATH system near Wellington Street. Rohinie Bisesar, who is now 51, entered a Shoppers Drug Mart and attacked 28-year-old Rosemarie Junor, a woman with whom she had no prior interaction. The unprovoked nature of the attack, committed by a woman who held an MBA and had previously worked on Bay Street, sent shockwaves through the city.

As the report notes, the legal proceedings following the tragedy focused heavily on Bisesar's mental state. in 2018, she was found not criminally responsible for the murder due to her struggle with chronic paranoid schizophrenia and delusional disorder. While the crime was described as brutal, the judicial focus remained on her inability to control the voices she was hearing at the time of the attack.

A decade of recovery and the move to independent housing

Since her initial diagnosis and subsequent legal rulings, Bisesar has undergone a significant transformation in her stability and lifestyle. After being found a threat to the public in 2019, she has since worked toward reintegration, eventually moving into independent housing in 2021. During her time in the community, she has focused on volunteering and continuing her education.

The Ontario Review Board acknowledged that while the death of an unsuspecting stranger was a tragedy that "strikes at all of society ," Bisesar has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to her recovery. This long-term progress is a primary factor in the decision to end her legal supervision.

The role of CAMH and monthly injectable medications in Bisesar's stability

A critical component of Bisesar's current stability is a strict pharmacological regimen. According to the Ontario Review Board, she currently manages her condition using two different antipsychotic medications: one taken orally on a daily basis and a long-acting injectable administered once every month. This combination is intended to provide continuous protection against the return of psychotic symptoms.

Furthermore, her clinical oversight is being transitioned to ensure continuity of care. The report states that Bisesar will continue to participate in the Psychosis Coordinated Care Service through CAMH, with her care eventually being assumed by a downtown central clinic run by the hospital. This transition is designed to ensure there are no gaps in her psychiatric treatment.

The transition from legal oversight to CAMH clinical care

While the Ontario Review Board has concluded that Bisesar no longer poses a significant threat to public safety, the move from court-mandated supervision to purely clinical managmeent raises questions about long-term monitoring. The report presents the Board's perspective as definitive, but it remains to be seen how effectively a community safety plan involving family members can replace the formal legal conditions previously in place. Specifically, it is unclear how the transition between CAMH and the downtown central clinic will be monitored to ensure the promised lack of treatment gaps is maintained in a non-legal setting.