Sikh woman killed babies before dying

Harsimrat Kahlon, 27, and the babies were found dead in their apartment on October 5 when the woman’s partner called the police.

The Chandigarh-born woman died due to childbirth complications. But before her death, she killed her children.

Their bodies were found inside suitcases hidden in the basement of the couple’s apartment in northeast Calgary.

Kahlon had moved to Canada in 1999. After estranging from her family, she moved out and started living with her partner Harnek Mahal in 2006. 

Though her parents had no clues that their unmarried daughter had kids, hospital records show she gave birth to a child in 2005. The woman kept her pregnancies hidden from her family and co-workers.

Police said on Friday that one of the children, a girl named Reet Kahlon, was born to her in December 2005. The delivery happened at her home.

The birth of two other babies — a boy and a girl — later was also kept secret by the woman who was planning to go to India to get married before her death.

Police said the evidence points at “characteristics of infanticide” in the death of the three kids. They said the woman died from natural causes related to complications from the home deliveries.

The woman maintained a diary in Hindi and Punjabi in which she often wrote about feelings of worthlessness.