A Teacher's Haunting Account: The Tragic Deception Behind J.J.'s Death

A chilling narrative unfolded in a Brampton courtroom as Patricia Cornetta, a Grade 6 teacher, recounted the disturbing details surrounding 12-year-old J.J., a boy allegedly left to die by his prospective adoptive parents. Her emotional testimony painted a stark picture of a child subjected to bizarre and cruel restrictions, culminating in a devastating and preventable tragedy.

Cornetta vividly recalled her initial meeting with J.J.'s prospective parents, Johnathon Jarmusz and Tina-Marie Maleki-Marzban, in September 2021.

Their requests were immediately unsettling: J.J. was to have no eye contact with adults, avoid physical contact, speak only when spoken to, and consume only a 'food paste.' He was to be referred to as 'J.J.' – never by his full name, and teachers were instructed not to touch him, even to console him.

These were not the typical parameters for a new student; they were the first red flags in a case that would soon reveal unimaginable neglect.

As the weeks progressed, Cornetta's concerns deepened. J.J., described as a sweet and gentle boy who loved Minecraft, began to visibly deteriorate. He would arrive at school looking dishevelled, his hair unkempt, his clothes ill-fitting.

The 'food paste' he was reportedly fed consisted only of oats and milk, leading to extreme malnutrition. Teachers noted his growing lethargy, his struggles to stay awake, and his increasingly frail appearance. He would often hoard food from the classroom, a desperate attempt to satiate a hunger his home life denied.

The prospective parents, Jarmusz and Maleki-Marzban, allegedly continued to impose their cruel rules.

They claimed J.J. had a medical condition requiring his unique diet and restricted behaviour, a story that raised immediate suspicions among school staff. Cornetta and her colleagues repeatedly raised alarms with the Catholic Children’s Aid Society (CCAS), documenting their observations and expressing grave fears for J.J.'s well-being.

Yet, despite these urgent pleas, meaningful intervention seemed agonizingly slow, or entirely absent.

The heartbreaking climax came on July 20, 2022. J.J. was pronounced dead after being found unresponsive in the Brampton home he shared with Jarmusz and Maleki-Marzban. The cause of death: severe malnutrition.

The 12-year-old boy, who had started the school year weighing approximately 90 pounds, had wasted away to a mere 47 pounds. Post-mortem examinations revealed that he had been essentially starved to death, his body devoid of fat and muscle.

Jarmusz and Maleki-Marzban now face charges of first-degree murder, alleging they confined and starved J.J.

to death. Cornetta's brave testimony offers a window into the horrific conditions J.J. endured, highlighting a devastating failure of care and a stark reminder of the vulnerable children who fall through the cracks of a system meant to protect them. Her words echo the silent suffering of a boy who simply needed love and nourishment, but instead found himself trapped in a nightmare of alleged abuse and neglect.