Tragic Incident at Oshawa Centre: 14-Year-Old Boy Strangled by Seatbelt

A Whitby family is mourning the death of their 14-year-old son, Subhan Mareer, who tragically died after being found strangled by a seatbelt inside the family vehicle at the Oshawa Centre on August 16.

Subhan had chosen to remain in the family’s blue Honda Odyssey while his parents and younger siblings went shopping. His parents returned to discover their son with the seatbelt tightly wrapped around his neck.

Emergency services were contacted, and a passerby assisted in cutting the seatbelt to free Subhan. He was then rushed to Lakeridge Health Oshawa and subsequently transferred to the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

After spending five days on life support, Subhan passed away when the family made the difficult decision to take him off life support on Wednesday morning. A family friend confirmed the family’s devastation and expressed their struggle to cope with this unforeseen tragedy.

The Durham Regional Police have stated that there is currently no evidence to suggest criminality in this incident. They are reviewing surveillance footage from the parking lot and are seeking assistance from the public to gather more information.

According to police, they are looking for anyone who may have been at the Oshawa Centre between 3:45 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. on the day of the incident, particularly those with video footage or relevant information.

Subhan was set to start Grade 9 at Donald A. Wilson Secondary School and was remembered by friends and family as a bright and kind individual. A GoFundMe account has been established to support the Mareer family during this difficult time.

The community has shown support, with Whitby Mayor Elizabeth Roy offering her condolences through social media, urging residents to keep Subhan’s family in their thoughts and prayers.