Kingston woman's death first declared case of femicide in city

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A quiet Kingston neighbourhood became the scene of tragedy as police responded to what they now call the first case of femicide in Kingston.

At a news conference held by Kingston Police on Tuesday afternoon in response to the fatal incident that took place over the Victoria Day long weekend, Kingston Police Chief Scott Fraser called the incident “a senseless loss of life.”

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Flanked by Det.-Const. Stacey Alarie of the Major Crimes Unit, and representatives from community organizations, including the Kingston Frontenac Anti-Violence Coordinating Committee, Fraser opened the briefing by expressing condolences to the victim’s family, friends and community.

“We have a dedicated team of professionals who will certainly continue to work tirelessly, and they’ve been doing that since this call came in, and ultimately, their job to bring the accused to justice at this time, though, our thoughts really turn to the family and friends and community members who unfortunately, are part of this tragic event,” Fraser said.

Det. Alarie provided details of the incident. On Friday, May 16, shortly before 3 p.m., police responded to a disturbance near Berrywood Crescent and Juniper Drive in Kingston’s west end. A 25-year-old woman was found inside the home with multiple injuries and was rushed to the hospital, where she later succumbed to her wounds.

The accused, 26-year-old Hadden Harper-Brewer, was arrested at the scene. Police confirmed that the victim and the accused were in an intimate partner relationship. Brewer has been charged, and investigators noted that further charges may be laid as the investigation continues.

Det. Alarie emphasized that police are seeking additional information regarding the accused’s movements earlier in the day and encouraged members of the public with relevant details to come forward. Following the police statements, a spokesperson from the Kingston Frontenac Anti-Violence Coordinating Committee (KFACC), a non-profit group working toward ending intimate, personal and sexual violence, spoke to the broader implications of the tragedy.

“It’s with great sadness and outrage that KFACC receives the news of this femicide,” Hunnakko said. “Femicide is the killing of women and girls because of their gender. It is not rare. It’s systemic. It is preventable,” the spokesperson said in her remarks.

She pointed to a trend in Ontario, where 62 femicides were recorded in 2024 by the Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses. Already in 2025, 11 more have been reported. She urged community members to recognize warning signs of gender-based violence and emphasized that support and resources are available.

“It’s a call to action to prevent future deaths,” the spokesperson continued. “To anyone impacted by this news, by violence in your life, or by grief and fear, you aren’t alone, we will continue to fight for a world where all women, girls and gender diverse people can live free from violence,” the spokesperson said. Support services cited include Kingston Interval House, Victim Services of Kingston and Frontenac, the Sexual Assault Centre Kingston, and Resolve Counselling Services, among others. Resources are also available in KFACC’s IPV Survivors Handbook, accessible on their website.

The press conference ended with Kingston Police stating that the investigation is ongoing and further updates will be provided as available. Anyone with information is urged to contact Kingston Police.