‘What he did to my son is pure evil’: Sentencing hearing in Carson Crimeni manslaughter case

Friday marked another emotional day for the family of Carson Crimeni, on day two of the sentencing hearing for the person who pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the teen’s death.

The hearing for the accused — who can’t be named because they were underage at the time of the incident — began Thursday, four years after Carson’s death.

The 14-year-old suffered an apparent drug overdose on Aug. 7, 2019, at the Walnut Grove skate park in Langley while he was with a group of older teens.

Instead of calling 911, many filmed his final moments and shared them on social media.

Related articles: 

• Sentencing in Carson Crimeni manslaughter trial begins

• Accused in Carson Crimeni death pleads guilty to manslaughter

• ‘A long time coming’: Manslaughter charge in death of Carson Crimeni at Langley skate park

The two days of proceedings have included reading of impact statements, cases deemed comparable for the purposes of sentencing, and testimony from witnesses.

The accused also apologized to Carson’s family in the New Westminster court. However, for Aron Crimeni, Carson’s dad, that came across as “insincere.”

“It just seems like convenient timing that after all this time, he’s standing in front of a judge who’s about to sentence him and decide his sentence, that now an apology comes at this time,” he said.

“What he did to my son is pure evil.”

The sentencing hearing heard on Thursday that Carson had been given a lethal dose of MDMA by an older teen.

Aron says it’s been difficult to relive his son’s final moments in court.

“Today’s been another emotional day, absolutely,” he explained. “We’re just here showing our support for Carson and hoping for justice.”

Langley teen Carson Crimeni is pictured in his hockey gear at the age of 13. He died of an apparent overdose at a local skate park in August 2019. His final moments were filmed and shared on social media. (Submitted)

He admits reading his impact statement “was extremely difficult,” noting he broke down in tears.

“It was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done in my life,” Aron said. “Writing it was just as difficult. Reading it in front of a courtroom was not an easy thing to do.”

Carson was found by paramedics and police “in serious medical distress.” He was taken to the hospital, where he later died.

The case led to dozens of tips, and more than 100 witnesses were interviewed.

“There’s no words, it’s really, really emotional,” Darrel Crimeni, Carson’s grandfather, told CityNews Thursday. “I couldn’t read my own impact statement. There’s no way I could get through it, I had the Crown read it for me … it’s that emotional.”

Related video: Accused in Carson Crimeni death pleads guilty to manslaughter

The Crown is asking for a three-year sentence — two served in custody and another year of probation. Three years is the maximum allowed for youths.

The defence had suggested a lesser sentence, with less time spent in custody.

Regardless of what the judge decides, Aron says no amount of time will be enough.

“It’ll be a weight off to have the procedure over … but it won’t be enough, it won’t be enough, and it won’t change what happened to my son that day,” Aron said.

“It’s just been hard to go through. I mean, we’re at the end now. We’re just hoping for the most fair justice — I don’t believe that we’re going to get actual fair justice, I don’t think they can give [the accused] what I think he deserves for this act. He took my son’s life. I don’t believe it was an accident.”

Speaking with reporters, Carson’s mother, Chantell Griffiths, expressed frustration with the way the sentencing was playing out.

“I just feel like trying to minimize the sentence on something like this makes me feel kind of, you know, you shouldn’t be minimizing nothing,” she said.

Griffiths says she didn’t have custody of Carson and wasn’t able to see him very much. She was hoping to one day reconnect but says “I’m never going to get that chance now.”

“That’s the hardest thing,” she said. “He was a really sweet, sweet kid. He was a sweetheart, he was very sensitive. This happening to him … it really hurts.”