MFM Presents…The Knife

Summary

Episode Summary: "MFM Presents…The Knife"

Podcast: My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
Episode: MFM Presents…The Knife
Release Date: April 4, 2025

Introduction

In this compelling episode of My Favorite Murder titled "MFM Presents…The Knife," hosts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark delve deep into the harrowing true story of Darun Henry, a personal trainer and mother of two from Toronto, Canada. This episode not only recounts the terrifying attack Darun endured but also explores her past trauma and the systemic failures that followed her assault.

Darun Henry’s Background and the Assault

Darun Henry begins by sharing her life story, highlighting her journey from a challenging childhood in Iraq to becoming a successful entrepreneur and fitness coach in Canada.

Darun Henry [03:09]: "I had a very hard upbringing. I was born in Iraq. I'm Kurdish... I wanted to help women discover that they can become the best version of themselves."

On September 15, 2021, Darun moved into a new home in Brampton, near Massey Park—a seemingly safe and family-friendly area. Her daily routine included jogging and creating content for her social media platforms. However, that day, her routine was shattered by a violent encounter.

Darun Henry [06:01]: "He was coming for my throat. Yeah. Like, that was, hands down, the scariest moment of my life."

While jogging, Darun noticed a suspicious elderly man followed by another individual dressed entirely in black with a mask—uncommon for the warm September weather. As she finished her workout, she encountered the attacker, leading to a life-threatening confrontation where she fought back to protect herself.

The Confrontation and Immediate Aftermath

Darun recounts the precise moments of the attack, emphasizing her swift response fueled by her boxing training.

Darun Henry [12:29]: "He was coming for my throat... I just reacted and I punched him."

Her quick thinking allowed her to fend off the attacker, who then fled the scene. Darun captured vital footage of the assailant running into the woods, hoping it would aid the police investigation. However, she faced significant disappointment when law enforcement informed her that they couldn't act on the evidence she provided.

Darun Henry [20:50]: "The police were like, no, we can't do anything with that."

Systemic Failures and Lack of Support

Darun expressed frustration over the police's inability to utilize her evidence effectively, leaving her feeling unsupported and vulnerable.

Darun Henry [20:50]: "What do you mean you're not going to do anything? What do you mean you’re just going to put it on a website?"

Despite her efforts to raise awareness by posting the viral video of the attack, the system's inadequacies only exacerbated her trauma. Six days after her assault, a second attack occurred under eerily similar circumstances, highlighting the persistent danger she faced.

Connection to Past Trauma: Childhood Grooming

The episode takes an intimate turn as Darun opens up about her previous experience with grooming at the hands of a trusted authority figure during her middle school years. This revelation sheds light on how past traumas resurfaced during her recent ordeal.

Darun Henry [33:05]: "My innocence was stolen. But I was okay with, like, not getting the justice as long as he was in trouble, and as long as there were other victims to help me prove that this guy shouldn't be around kids."

Her courage in confronting both her past and present traumas underscores the enduring impact of such experiences on victims.

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

Paul Youssef, the assailant, was eventually identified and charged with multiple offenses related to the attacks. However, the sentencing revealed a contentious outcome that left Darun feeling betrayed by the justice system.

Darun Henry [39:24]: "He only got four months of house arrest. He also lives in our neighborhood... that's the other scary part."

The lenient sentence, coupled with the lack of communication from authorities, deepened Darun's sense of injustice and ongoing fear.

Insights and Advocacy

Throughout the episode, Darun emphasizes the importance of self-defense and advocacy for victims. She encourages women to recognize their strength and the significance of standing up against their fears.

Darun Henry [43:02]: "I'm literally a son of a killer... At the end of the day, I'm literally a son of a killer."

Her message resonates deeply, highlighting the resilience required to overcome such traumatic experiences and the necessity for systemic support for victims.

Resources and Support

To support listeners who might find themselves in similar situations, the hosts provide information about the Canadian Resource Center for Victims of Crime (CRCVC), an advocacy group offering invaluable resources to survivors across Canada.

Pasha Eaton [50:35]: "You can go to their website. It's crcvc and there's a contact us link."

Conclusion

"MFM Presents…The Knife" is a powerful episode that not only narrates Darun Henry's terrifying experience but also connects it to her earlier life struggles, illustrating the compounded nature of trauma. The episode shines a light on the critical need for better support systems for victims and the importance of advocacy in seeking justice and healing.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Darun Henry [06:01]: "He was coming for my throat. Yeah. Like, that was, hands down, the scariest moment of my life."
• Darun Henry [12:29]: "He was coming for my throat... I just reacted and I punched him."
• Darun Henry [20:50]: "What do you mean you're not going to do anything? What do you mean you’re just going to put it on a website?"
• Darun Henry [33:05]: "My innocence was stolen..."
• Darun Henry [39:24]: "He only got four months of house arrest..."
• Pasha Eaton [50:35]: "You can go to their website. It's crcvc and there's a contact us link."

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This episode is a testament to Darun Henry's strength and the ongoing struggles victims face within the justice system. It serves as both a cautionary tale and a beacon of resilience, urging society to better support and protect those who have suffered.

Transcript

[Pasha Eaton]

This is exactly right.

[Gilbert King]

Something unexpected happened after Jeremy Scott confessed to killing Michelle Schofield in Bone Valley Season one.

[Darun Henry]

Every time I hear about my dad is, oh, he's a killer. He's just straight evil.

[Gilbert King]

I was becoming the bridge between Jeremy Scott and the son he'd never known.

[Darun Henry]

At the end of the day, I'm literally a son of a killer.

[Gilbert King]

Listen to new episodes of bone Valley Season 2 starting April 9 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Hannah Smith]

Hello, Big news everybody. The premiere episode of our new show, the A True Crime Podcast is out now.

[Pasha Eaton]

If you love deep dives, empathetic storytelling.

[Narrator]

And the cases that stay with you.

[Pasha Eaton]

Long after the episode ends, this will be the True Crime podcast for you.

[Hannah Smith]

That's right. And now you're about to get an exclusive listen to their premiere episode.

[Narrator]

Hosts Hannah Smith and Pasha Eaton take.

[Pasha Eaton]

You inside the gripping story of Dorun Henry, whose routine morning run took a.

[Narrator]

Sudden and terrifying turn, altering the course of her life.

[Hannah Smith]

So sit back and enjoy the first episode of the Knife, the newest member of our exactly right family.

[Pasha Eaton]

And don't forget, once you listen to this episode and you love it, head over to the Knife's feed in your podcast app to check out the next episode. Trust us, you won't wanna stop at just one.

[Hannah Smith]

And while you're there, don't forget to follow, rate and review. It really helps. Goodbye.

[Pasha Eaton]

This story contains adult content and language. Listener discretion is advised.

[Hannah Smith]

So there was a silent moment between us where we were both trying to.

[Narrator]

Process what just happened after you punched him.

[Hannah Smith]

Yeah, like just a still moment where I was like oh my God, I just punched a human. Get in the face.

[Pasha Eaton]

Welcome to the Knife. I'm Patia Eaton. I'm Hannah Smith and this week we speak with a woman named Darun Henry. She is a personal trainer, influencer and mother of two who lives in Toronto, Canada.

[Narrator]

In September of 2021, Drun had just moved into a new home with her and then husband. It was a nice, safe, family friendly area of Toronto. And then on September 15, she went for a jog at 11am in a park near her home and experienced something terrifying. We speak with Doroon about her experience and the lasting impact of what happened to her, including a video of the incident that went viral. We will be back with you after the interview to give you some updates on Deroon's story, which is still ongoing today. As a note, this conversation with Darun happened on October 14, 2024.

[Pasha Eaton]

Let's get into the Interview.

[Narrator]

Let's start off with you telling us a little bit about yourself and your background.

[Hannah Smith]

I'm Darun Henry. I am an online fitness coach. I'm a mother of two, two beautiful girls who are 13 and 7. And I'm just a very passionate entrepreneur. I had a very hard upbringing. I was born in Iraq. I'm Kurdish, so I not to like, go too deep, but I lost my brother. My brother was killed by a landmine when I was five, so. And then I was like a refugee until we came to Canada at the age of 7 or 8. So in 96. And so a lot of my conditioning was limiting beliefs. I was very insecure because I. I didn't do too well in school. I never got like my university degree. I got pregnant at a young age. And so when I had my spiritual awakening and I was on my own personal development journey and I discovered who I am and how powerful I am and how limitless I am, I wanted to help women, like, discover that part of themselves, regardless of what you've been through, that you can become the best version of yourself. And so, like, that's where my passion lies right now. Right before the attack, I would say I was at the peak of my career. I was just the happiest version of myself.

[Narrator]

In September of 2021, Doroon and her family had just moved into a new home in Brampton, a city in the greater toront Toronto area. Doroon was delighted to find out that she was in walking distance to Massey park, which is a small park that sits in the middle of a heavily trafficked area, but still feels remote due to the density of the trees. So she started to do her daily workouts at Massey park.

[Hannah Smith]

So it's September 15, 2021. So school had just started. Yeah, like I had taken the kids to school pool that day and I went for my jog around like 9:30. Being in the forest, I would often like do walking meditations. I'd connect with God. So on that day it was different because I needed more content. So that was the, the only day I had taken my tripod because I do believe that having my tripod kind of saves me in a way. That day, I believe I got there around 9:50 ish. I shot content. I took pictures for about 20, 30 minutes. I was getting the right shots. I had my jump rope with me that day, so I was jump roping.

[Narrator]

So you know when is the first moment that you thought, like, something is wrong?

[Hannah Smith]

Yeah, so this was towards the end of my workout. So it was around 11am when I saw, saw an elderly man who was maybe like 80 years old with a walker. And I saw him walking very slowly and I actually noticed a random person. I noticed he was walking very slowly behind the elderly man. Like, almost as if he was just like with him. But you can tell they weren't together. I found him a little suspicious because he was dressed in all black. Like black sweatpants, black sweater, a fitted hat, and he was wearing a mask. It was pretty warm day. It was September 15th. I was wearing shorts, so it was kind of like, unusual to see somebody dressed like, in a hoodie and like sweatpants and just fully covered and also like wearing a Covid mask. Not a lot of people wore the masks outside in the parks, so I did. I noticed him immediately as he was walking, had his bike, but he wasn't on his bike. Like, he wasn't riding his bike. He was walking. They passed by, right, like they left. And I just continued doing what I was doing. And then at this point, I was stretching and looking at the sunshine, you know, shining through the leaves and just breathing and just I was stretching and I felt this, like, immense pain in my hamstrings. And like, something told me to bend over, like to stretch my hamstrings. And when I bent over, I literally saw him through my legs. So I jumped and I was off to the side of the walking path so that people can pass by me. And when I bent over, I saw him like, through my legs, literally. He was like right behind me, maybe eight feet away. And I jumped, I turned around. I wasn't scared, though. I just thought he was on a.

[Narrator]

Walk because I didn't know there was someone there.

[Hannah Smith]

Yeah, yeah, I, I, I had no idea. I was wearing these headphones, so I, I couldn't hear anything. And when I turned around and he was right, directly right behind me, my tripod was on, like it was on the ground. And I think that I, I, I don't think he was sure that, like, if it was recording or not, it wasn't recording. But he did notice my tripod. And then when I turned around, I said, oh, I'm so sorry. Like, I was just like, so sorry I'm in your way. Right. Even though there's a huge walking pathway, like you could go around me, like you, there's no reason you should be directly behind me. And so, like, that's when I realized, oh, like, he really was trying to get really close to me. But I, like, caught him before he got too close and as soon as I said sorry to him, he was very strange. He was just like, didn't say anything, and then looks at my tripod and was like, asking me if I did YouTube. He's like, oh, do you do YouTube? And I was like, no. I was. I couldn't really hear him because he had his mask on. So then I was like, what are you saying? And then he was like, do you do YouTube? And then he took his mask off. So he put it down to below his. His chin. And he kept asking me if. If I did YouTube. And I said, no, I don't do YouTube. He's like, are you. Are you a fitness instructor? I was like, yes, I'm a personal trainer. He's like, well, can I get your information? Like, my Facebook or, like, my socials? And I was like, no. Like, I only work with women. And then I just kind of, like, looks at him, like, walk away. Like, go now. And so, like, I was just getting annoyed of him. Like, it was. The conversation probably took, like, 30 seconds. And so I was waiting for him to walk off. And I was like, no. Like, I only work with women. You can't have my information. And so he got the point. And it was in that moment, like, he didn't say anything more. He just put his mask back on. And in this moment, I realized, oh, my God, he is going to try and rape me. Because he looks around, he looks in my eyes. And in that moment, I felt that realization. Like, that moment where you're like, I'm in danger. Like, I'm. Something bad is going to happen to me right now. And, like, I have to, like, fight. So I went into fight mode immediately because he looked around, he put his mask back on, and then he came to strangle me. So he came at me with his hands to strangle me, but before he could get to me, I crossed him. So I punched him with my right arm, my right disc. I punched him in his jaw. Like, I just. I don't know. I don't remember how hard it was. I mean, in that moment, I'm sure I punched him really, really hard. Not enough to knock him out, but he was shocked. So there was a silent moment between us where we were both trying to process what just happened.

[Narrator]

After you punched him?

[Hannah Smith]

Yeah, like, just a still moment where I was like, oh, my God, I just punch a human. Like, in the face. Like, I. I was taking boxing lessons, but I always had gloves on. I never punched a human before. Like, flesh and bone. So, like, there were so many thoughts. Running through my head like, oh, my God, he's gonna kill me. I just punched a man in the face, and he's gonna kill me.

[Narrator]

So because you say, like, and you did this motion, which people can't see on the podcast, but you're saying that he was coming at you with his hands out in a clear way, that, like, he was going for your throat.

[Hannah Smith]

Yeah, he was coming for my throat. Yeah. Like, that was, hands down, the scariest moment of my life. Just I didn't even react. Like, I didn't even think. I just reacted and I punched him. And I honestly believe that, like, punching him in the face was the best thing I could have ever done because it completely threw him off. And after I punched him, I did freeze because I was like, at the end of the day, I'm 5:1 and he's really tall. He's. I don't know who he is, what he's capable of. I don't know if he has a weapon on him. But then right after I punched him and we had that silent moment for maybe five seconds, you know, it aggravated him, so he can't. He tried to take me down. And so I always mention that, like, my boxing lessons saved my life. I was able to fight him. So I literally heard my coach. His name is Jerry. And I. I literally heard Jerry in my head, I heard him say, put power behind it. Like, as I was punching, because that was something he'd often say to me, put power behind it. And it's that repetition of punching over and over and over, and even. I don't know how it happened, but he was on the ground. At one point, I kicked him really hard in his ribs. I wish I had kicked him in his balls, but I kicked him in his ribs. There was a point where he was looking for something on the ground, so he was searching for something on the ground. And in that moment, I thought, oh, my God, he's looking for a rock, like, to knock me out, right? Like, that was my thought. I was like, he's looking for something to, like, knock me out. And, like, that was the moment I remembered I had a voice. Because you know when you're fighting for your life and that you don't remember that. Like, I didn't remember. I was in a public park in that moment. I remembered, like, you're in a public park. There's people. Somebody's gonna hear you. And so I literally started screaming bloody murder. I started screaming for help, like, as loud as I could. And, yeah, like, that was something. It's hard to relive. But, yeah, like, I, I thought, like, if, like, that was my last resort, was just screaming for my life. It was really, really scary. So, yeah, and then as soon as I started screaming for help, like, his eyes bulged out and. Yeah, and then he ran away. But when he ran away, he ran towards the right side of the forest. And then I think he got maybe 10, 20 steps in and he stopped and he ran the opposite direction. And that's when I pulled out my phone and I started recording him because I needed evidence of him running away. I needed evidence of, like, what he looked like, what he was wearing. Like, I just needed something to show the police. I had no idea why he stopped and ran the opposite direction. But then I realized when he picked up his bike that it was the same person who had walked by me ten minutes prior to. And I realized that he had hid his bike and was watching me for about 10 minutes.

[Gilbert King]

Something unexpected happened after Jeremy Scott confessed to killing Michelle Schofield in Bone Valley Season one.

[Hannah Smith]

I just knew him as a kid.

[Gilbert King]

Long, silent voices from his past came.

[Darun Henry]

Forward, and he was just staring at me.

[Gilbert King]

And they had secrets of their own to share.

[Darun Henry]

Gilbert King I'm the son of Jeremy Lynn Scott.

[Gilbert King]

I was no longer just telling the story. I was part of it.

[Darun Henry]

Every time I hear about my dad, it's, oh, he's a killer. He's just straight evil.

[Gilbert King]

I was becoming the bridge between a killer and the son he'd never known.

[Darun Henry]

If the cops and everything would have done their job properly, my dad would have been in jail. I would have never existed.

[Gilbert King]

I never expected to find myself in this place. Now I need to tell you how I got here.

[Darun Henry]

At the end of the day, I'm literally a son of a killer.

[Gilbert King]

Bone Valley Season 2 Jeremy, Jeremy, I want to tell you something. Listen to new episodes of bone Valley Season 2 starting April 9 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts and to hear the entire new season ad free with exclusive content starting April 9th. Subscribe to Lava for Good plus on Apple Podcasts.

[Narrator]

After Darun was able to fight off this attacker, she somehow had the presence of mind to take out her phone and hit record, capturing him running into the woods. Then a man in the park who had heard her scream showed up and called the police. The following moments were a blur for Doroon as multiple police officers and her husband arrived at the park.

[Hannah Smith]

When I had somebody there, like, I was able to just kind of like break out of that shell. And I went into shock immediately. I just started wailing like, I couldn't help it. Like, I just started screaming. There was a lot of police around, and that police officer showed up. Within two minutes he was there. The search started immediately. They were looking for him because we gave a description, but, yeah, he got away with it. Yeah. And then I somehow walked back home. My street was filled with police cars, and my neighbors had no idea what happened. There was just a lot of police in the area. And they kind of gave me a minute. And when I got home, that's when, like, the shock just kept getting worse. When I was, like, realized, like. Realized what. What just happened? The first thing I did was, like, go to the bathroom and puke. I don't know how to describe it, but it felt like I puked like this evil. Like, it just came out of me and, like, it just. I puked. And I was. I was messed up. I was really messed up because I kept thinking, like, oh, my God, what if I didn't turn around? Like, what if he had just knocked me out before I had turned around?

[Pasha Eaton]

There's obviously this range of emotions that you're then experiencing directly following the attack. What do logistically, the hours and the days following the attack look like?

[Hannah Smith]

Yeah, that was a huge ordeal. When we get into the police, there's a lot to say because, you know, I essentially risked my life capturing that video because I should have been running to safety, But I took an extra 10, 15 seconds just to get him on camera. Yeah, when I. I was very disappointed when they told me that they couldn't do anything with that evidence. Like, I had this fantasy that, like, they were gonna put it on the news that night and show the clip of him running through the woods. And my neighborhood's gonna be safer place, maybe, like, somebody can recognize him. And, like, I was so disappointed and so shocked when the police were like, no, like, we can't do anything with that.

[Pasha Eaton]

What was their reason when they said, we can't do anything? Why?

[Hannah Smith]

Well, because it's alleged. They can't prove what he did. They just have a video of a guy running through the woods, and it's an alleged attack. And, yeah, like, they just don't do that. So I. I was like, okay, well, what. What are you going to do? Like, there's a guy out there attacking women at 11am he is 1 million percent gonna do it again. And they're like, yeah, we. We're gonna put it up on our website. And then I was angry. I Was like, what fucking website are you talking about? Like, I live in this neighborhood. I don't know about your website. I doubt anyone here knows that you have a website or that anyone goes on there daily to check. They questioned me for about half an hour and I was like, yeah, I was just messed up, right? Like, they gave me maybe 10 minutes to myself. And like, during that 10 minutes, I was puking, then we were talking and I was angry. I was so angry. I was like, what do you mean you're not going to do anything? What do you mean you're. You're just going to put it on a website? Like, what good is that? And they literally told me, like. Like, the best thing you could do is just not go back and see the words. And I was like. I was like, are you fucking kidding me? Like, what am I, a caged up animal? I can't even go for a walk in my neighborhood in the park where I take my kids every day? Like, I walk my kids to the park.

[Pasha Eaton]

Well, also, this is our advice to women on how to stay safe. Don't leave your house.

[Hannah Smith]

Yeah, exactly.

[Narrator]

According to Jeroen, the police said they would post the report on their website to alert the neighborhood. But she didn't feel that this was good enough. After all, she lived in the neighborhood and she'd never heard of the website. Doon has a significant following on social media. And so the next day, when the police report still wasn't up online, Doone decided to post the video that she recorded in the park of her attacker. This is the first part of that video. Doone screams as a blurry figure darts through the woods. Help me. Help me. This guy tries to attack me.

[Hannah Smith]

I have you on video, you piece of. I just punched him in the face. Yeah, you piece of.

[Narrator]

The video then cuts from the park to Darun sitting on her front porch the following day, speaking directly to her followers.

[Hannah Smith]

I want to make this video for my predator. I want him to know that when I punched him in the face, I wasn't scared at all. I wasn't scared. I'm crying because fucking took my sanctuary from me. It went viral within hours, and at one point it was at 30,000 views, and it was at 300,000 views, and it was At 500,000 views, and it was just like a snowball effect. And it just kept getting bigger and bigger. And that was extremely hard to navigate through. As I'm trying to, like, collect myself, I was getting messages from all over the world. Like, it went viral in India. It went Viral in Europe, it went viral in South America. For some people it was like entertainment. I experienced a lot of victim blaming, but I have to say I did also feel like the support of the world behind me and they ended up posting the police report after it went viral. But I also felt like the system really failed me because if they had just taken me seriously, if they had publicized my report, then the second attack wouldn't have happened, which was just six days after mine.

[Narrator]

Do you know what happened with that attack and how did you learn about that attack?

[Hannah Smith]

I found out about the second attack through a follower. Somebody sent me the report. What happened was literally the same exact scenario. He attacked her on a Tuesday, was around the same exact time, like 11:00am it was in another nearby park. He was on a bike, same thing. He was dressed in sweats, but he had escalated it to he had taken a knife, so a box cutter to this next attack.

[Narrator]

After the second attack, Doroon was asked to come into the police station and look through a series of photographs to identify the attacker.

[Hannah Smith]

He was like the second last picture. So I had to like go through all those pictures. But as soon as his picture came up and I looked at his eyes, this energy rushed over me and like every cell in my body screamed and was like, that's him. Like, I knew it was him because of his eyes. Because I can never forget that look he gave me right before he came to strangle me. And you know, even though it was a picture, I felt those emotions. And then after they made me go through that, they were like, well, we have a disturbing question to ask you. I was like, what? And they were like, did he steal anything from you? Like, does he. Are you missing anything? And I was like, no, no, I'm not missing anything. But when they told me, like they found him, he had a backpack on him and he had a bunch of women's items in there. And they told me that he goes out there looking for the opportunity to attack and then that he is also a trophy keeper. So then he keeps something from his victims. And when they said that to me, I realized that when I thought he was looking for a rock to knock me out. He wasn't actually looking for a rock. He was looking to steal something to keep as a trophy. 19 year old Paul Youssef of Brampton was charged this week with assault, assault with a weapon and assault causing bodily harm in connection to two alleged incidents, Henry's and another that happened six days later. That incident taking place at nearby Jayfield Park.

[Narrator]

Law enforcement was able to identify and charge Paul Youssef. We don't have any information about the other victim as she was a minor at the time. Paul Youssef was arrested on September 28, 2021. Dorun now had a name for her attacker. And while she waited to see what would happen to him, she tried to continue living her life.

[Hannah Smith]

I didn't sleep for maybe two weeks. I just couldn't. Although he wasn't successful, I went through a lot of the after effects.

[Narrator]

You know, it's interesting to use this word successful. And I know what you mean by it, because he wasn't able to, you know, do what he planned to do, which when you were in that moment was very clear to you. Looking in his eyes, you knew what he wanted to do. It's still just like he still attacked you. You know, you still had to go through that experience.

[Hannah Smith]

He wasn't successful, but he was successful in breaking me and, you know, making me feel violated. I felt. Still feel very violated. For the first two weeks before he was caught, I went through this intense, like, PTSD where I felt like he was in my kitchen every night. Like, I couldn't even go downstairs to, like, get a glass of water because I felt like he was just there. There were many times where I would just be sitting on my front porch and, like, a man would walk by, and I thought that man was going to come attack me, and I would just run back into my. The PTSD was so intense that I literally jumped one day and, like, almost freaked out on an elderly man at the beach.

[Narrator]

Something that's important to note. In Canada, you are not allowed to carry a weapon or any tool that is specifically for the purpose of self defense, which would include pepper spray. It was difficult for Doroon to feel safe out in the world, even during the day. After all, she'd been attacked in a public park at 11am she feared something like this would happen again. Knowing her only recourse, if it ever did happen, would be to fight.

[Hannah Smith]

One of the triggers I have is that, like, when a man is walking towards me and making eye contact, I get triggered. Or if there's somebody behind me, I will get triggered and it will bring back that moment and I'll go into, like, defense mode. Like, I didn't want to be touched. Like, even by my husband. Like, he couldn't even tap me on the shoulder without me jumping. I dressed in baggy clothes for weeks. Like, my body was. I felt so violated. There's a lot that victims go through that is not talked about.

[Pasha Eaton]

Have you learned anything else about him throughout this process? Like, what does he do for work?

[Hannah Smith]

Oh, yeah. Like, when we discovered who he was and it went public, I saw a few comments like, oh, I went to high school with this guy. So I went and I, like, did. Did my own research. I found out that he's Iraqi, which is crazy because I'm Iraqi. I found out that he's my own people, and that was very disturbing. And that was one thing I found out about him. A lot of the girls I spoke to from his high school, I think I spoke to, like, two or three of them, all told me he was a creep and that, like, he didn't handle rejection very well.

[Narrator]

Do run. Waited in anticipation to see what would happen to her attacker. Paul Youssef. The waiting, she said, was uncomfortable, but it was also not a new feeling for her. This experience flooded her with memories from a different incident that happened when she was a child.

[Hannah Smith]

This is also not my first predator. When I was 11, I was groomed by my teacher, my drama teacher. Like, every kid wanted to be around him, like. Cause he was cool, and he was, you know, like, if Mr. Telenko liked you, like, you're cool. And I didn't know he was grooming me until he made it so obvious, and he was like, well, I have a question for you. Do you have pubic hair? I was like, whoa. And I was going through puberty. And, like, I didn't even talk about that stuff with my own parents. So, like, for you to ask me as a teacher, I legitimately ran home that day. I think I answered him. I have no idea what my reaction was. I just was like, what the fuck, dude? And I ran out of there. Like, I went home. And then I just avoided him for the remainder of the year. You know, I noticed he always had, like, a favorite student that was always a female who was always in grade six. And the reason he targeted grade six students, and this is just all my theory, was because the year, like, that was the last year of elementary, and then you go to middle school, and so you can kind of get away with doing whatever. And then they were off to the next school, which is exactly what happened with me. I just moved on, and I went to the next school, and I forgot about it.

[Narrator]

Doroon was clear that although her sixth grade teacher, Greg Telenko, had not physically abused her, his actions were harmful. He was a teacher, someone in a trusted position of authority, and he'd used that power to manipulate her. At the time, Doroon didn't know the term grooming, but she does now, and that is exactly what Greg Telenko was doing. Doroon listened to her instincts and distanced herself from Thalenko, never telling anyone what happened. That is, until two years later when she learned that she was not target.

[Hannah Smith]

And then two years later, it came up that, like, after the year I left, there was like five girls that he was, you know, grooming and had invited back to his house and shown them porn on his computer. He had shown them his privates. And like, he took it so far with those girls, you know, they, I guess thought it was a joke. They didn't realize what was happening. And they told me, like, we were on the bus going to school. Like they were in grade seven. I was in grade eight and they were telling me all these stories and I was like, you guys, like, we have to come forward. And it was my idea to come forward because I have a younger sister and he used to call her little Darun. And I just knew that, like, she was his next target. So I, I really did it for my sister. And yeah, at a young age I had to get questioned. I felt like I was getting interrogated by the police. There was like victim blaming involved at that time as well with the new teachers in grade eight. Like, I remember getting treated differently because of coming forward. And so, yeah, this is, this cuts deep because I still have trauma from the age of 11, 12, 13.

[Narrator]

Darun was a middle school, a time wrought with difficulties and insecurities for most of us. But still she decided to speak out and lead the charge in bringing Greg Tolenko's actions to light. Dreoun's younger sister was going into sixth grade the next year, and she did not want her to have the same experiences with Telenko. As a result of Deroon and others Speaking out, in 2001, Greg Telenko was arrested and charged with sexual assault, invitation to sexual touching, sexual interference, and criminal harassment. He had been teaching at Cedar Drive public school for 12 years.

[Hannah Smith]

At that point, I was very afraid of, like, coming out because as child you think that, like, you did something wrong. For the teacher to ask me a question like that, like, what did, what did you do for him to ask you that? Right? Like, that was how my mind worked. At the end of the day, I feel like my voice is there. Like this time around, like, I fought so hard because of little Doroon because, like, little Doroon never got justice. Like, I was just like, I'm just like a witness in all this. But really, I was a victim and I was groomed and my innocence was stolen. But I was okay with, like, not getting the justice as long as he was in trouble, and as long as, like, there was other victims to help me prove that this guy shouldn't be a teacher, shouldn't even be around kids.

[Narrator]

I asked Arun what she meant when she said she never got justice as a child. And what came to light was that she felt she missed out on the process. She wasn't considered a main victim in the case, which she understands. But as a result, her story wasn't part of the case and she did not attend any of the hearings. She didn't get to see it. She was just left to process what had happened to her alone. As a result of this, even years later, she explained that she still has questions and she never really got closure. And when she was attacked on September 15, 2021, in Massey park, suddenly this incident from middle school came back into her mind.

[Hannah Smith]

I actually thought about Mr. Tolenko on my walk back home. Like, it happened immediately, like after the attack. And I was walking back home, I thought of him and I remembered that experience. It just came up. And I was just so angry about the world. Like, I'm just. I was just so angry. It just. It just came up. I guess it was just like that blocked trauma that was still in there. It all came up.

[Narrator]

Doroon spoke up in middle school and again as an adult after she was attacked in Massey Park. Her motivation? To warn others, to advocate for victims, and perhaps to make a big deal about something that is a big deal. Sometimes, though, you can do all the right things and still be let down. When I first spoke with Doroon in the fall of 2024, she told me that she was still waiting to know the results of Paul Youssef's case. I decided to see what I could find out. So I called the Peel Regional Police and then they directed me to the Davis Courthouse in Brampton. We don't directly talk about this in the interview, but what happened was I was emailed the case documents. The day before we recorded this interview with Deroon, I found out that the sentencing hearing had already happened. It happened in May of 2024. Paul Youssef was sentenced to four months of conditional sentence, house arrest, and two years probation. I didn't want to spring this information on Doroon during the recording, so I sent her an email the night before the interview with the case information. She later told me that while she is glad to have this information, it was also very difficult to receive, and it opened up a whole new set of worries for her.

[Hannah Smith]

I have been waiting for three years. Nobody has updated me on anything. He only got four months of house arrest. He also lives in our neighborhood, so he lives within 5km of us. So that's the other scary part is, like, yeah, like, he's. He's free now, and I had no idea.

[Narrator]

Yeah, I mean, I think it's pretty, like, ridiculous that they didn't update you on all of that, even just to keep you informed. I feel like that should have happened.

[Hannah Smith]

I. I can't believe it. I legitimately had a mental breakdown last night. When I saw your message, I was like, what? That is impossible. Like, how could. How could they not tell me?

[Narrator]

I wasn't able to get a hold of anyone to ask them these questions. But it started, you know, it was so shocking to me when I heard that because he attacked two people. Clearly, he was past you, hid his bike, was watching you. And maybe it goes back to this idea of, was he, quote, unquote, successful? And if he, you know, because he wasn't, then he gets a lesser sentence. But it really brings up this question of justice, because how is that justice?

[Hannah Smith]

Yeah, it's not. It's a nightmare.

[Narrator]

Yeah.

[Hannah Smith]

Like, it's. It's almost as if, like, you have to end up, like, dead in the woods for them to actually care or, like, do anything. And that's truly how I feel. Like, oh, you got attacked. Well, shit happens every day, Darun. Like, move on, right? Like, that's. That's how I took it. Like, well, you're lucky enough. You could fight. Fight, right? Like, you're lucky you got away. Like, it's all luck. It's like a game of luck. Like, I just kind of want to reiterate my message to women, and it's that you have a voice, right? And, like, that you're powerful and that you're stronger than you believe to be, and that you can also punch a man in the face and survive and that it's okay to freeze. I. I think that was one thing that, like, I felt like a lot of victims came forward and kept saying, like, I wish I had your strength. I wish I had done something. But, like, I want to remind women that I also froze in that moment, like, right after I punched him. And, like, that it's a very natural reaction to have, but the more prepared you are. Right? Like, I just feel like I was prepared and that, you know, at the end of the day, I feel like, you know, I was very successful, quote unquote, in getting him captured. And, you know, all that stuff because it rarely goes that far, right?

[Gilbert King]

Something unexpected happened after Jeremy Scott confessed to killing Michelle Schofield in Bone Valley season one.

[Hannah Smith]

I just knew him as a kid.

[Gilbert King]

Long, silent voices from his past came.

[Darun Henry]

Forward, and he was just staring at me.

[Gilbert King]

And they had secrets of their own to share.

[Darun Henry]

Gilbert King. I'm the son of Jeremy Lynn Scott.

[Gilbert King]

I was no longer just telling the story. I was part of it.

[Darun Henry]

Every time I hear about my dad, it's, oh, he's a killer. He's just straight evil.

[Gilbert King]

I was becoming the bridge between a killer and the son he'd never known.

[Darun Henry]

If the cops and everything would have done their job properly, my dad would have been in jail. I would have never existed.

[Gilbert King]

I never expected to find myself in this place. Now I need to tell you how I got here.

[Darun Henry]

At the end of the day, I'm literally a son of a killer.

[Gilbert King]

Bone Valley Season 2 Jeremy, Jeremy, I.

[Darun Henry]

Want to tell you something.

[Gilbert King]

Listen to new episodes of bone Valley Season 2 starting April 9th on the iHeartrade radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And to hear the entire new season ad free with exclusive content starting April 9th. Subscribe to Lava for Good plus on Apple Podcasts.

[Pasha Eaton]

Wow, that was an incredible interview. I'm so. I feel so lucky she shared her story with us.

[Narrator]

Me too. Yeah, it was really powerful, and I'm so glad that she spoke with us.

[Pasha Eaton]

Going into these interviews, we have to do some level of prep. And in this case, you discovered that Paul Youssef had already actually had his court proceedings. So do you want to talk a little bit about how you navigated that going into the interview with Doroon?

[Narrator]

Yeah, it's not something I think I would have known how to do or felt comfortable doing before we started working in podcasting because basically I couldn't find any information about it online. Neither could Deroon, which is why she believed that the case was still open. And so I called the police station where the article I did find where he was arrested. And then they told me the courthouse, which was like, in a different county. So then I called the courthouse and got ahold of them, and then I was able to get the court documents. And I was really surprised to learn that the case was closed, that his sentencing hearing had already happened like six months before. And I don't know exactly why he. He got a four month conditional sentence and two years probation. But the most shocking thing to me Was that Doroon had not been updated and had not been able to find this information and lived so close to him, lives like a few miles away. I had no idea.

[Pasha Eaton]

Such a nightmare.

[Narrator]

Okay, so this takes place in Canada, which is different than the US And I'm not as familiar with the laws there. It was difficult, honestly, even getting the court paperwork, much more difficult than I found in the US When I set out records. So I reached out to a few different reporters. Essentially, I didn't get a clear answer on this, on what the process is, and also why a victim wouldn't be informed. But you might have some information about this.

[Pasha Eaton]

Yeah, well, after we talked about this and came to this sort of realization that we weren't even clear on what deroon's rights were as a victim of someone who physically assaulted her, probably with the intent to sexually assault her, you know, it was really alarming. And so I went ahead and contacted a victim advocacy group called the Canadian resource center for victims of crime. And I spoke with a representative there, and she had some really interesting information. Essentially, in Canada, there exists the Canadian victims bill of rights, and Doroon had a lot more rights than I think were exercised. And probably that's because she didn't even know that she had those rights. And it also goes back to, well, she's the victim of a crime, and so is the onus on the victim to go say, okay, what are my rights? Or is it on law enforcement to say, okay, here's your rights, or connect you to someone who can make you aware so that you can stay safe throughout this ordeal. And basically, she has what's called a right to information, which is about the status of the investigation, the alleged offense, the. The location of proceedings, available services, right to protection, right to participation, which is conveying their views when decisions are made by authorities.

[Narrator]

Well, this is why I was shocked, because so many cases we've covered before, Victims will get a chance to offer a victim impact statement at a sentencing hearing, which can influence a sentence on someone. Right. If a judge hears that this was incredibly emotionally traumatic or whatever, that could be informative in sentencing. Well, if the victim is not informed about the sentencing hearing, they have no chance to offer a victim impact statement. Right.

[Pasha Eaton]

And I think, you know, Drew in put it so well in the interview when she was talking about how, you know, this person attacked her in broad daylight, in broad daylight. I think it was 11:30am she was like, of course he was going to do this again. And she was right.

[Narrator]

And was keeping trophies, was keeping Trophies.

[Pasha Eaton]

Like, he was not someone who was just going to be kind of come to the realization that he shouldn't be doing this. He's dangerous. And so it was really scary, I'm sure, for her to learn that he actually lives quite close. And she had no idea what the status was of the case. No one told her. And she, it turns out, did have a right to that information. Now, when I spoke to the representative from this advocacy group, they said that it's not exactly clear whose job it is to say, here are your rights, but that if you are a victim of a crime in Canada, especially a violent crime, you should be able to ask law enforcement what are some resources I can have access to? And they should be able to point you in this direction of either an advocacy group or paperwork that outlines your rights for you. And it's unfortunate, but it sounds like you do have to do some self advocating to get that information. But it does exist. So, you know, it's not ideal, but I think that it's an important takeaway for anyone who might find themselves in an unfortunate situation like this, because I think had Darun known, she would have absolutely exercised those rights.

[Narrator]

Yeah, absolutely. You know, it's a good practice to, if you find yourself in that situation, to ask that of law enforcement. Who do I contact? What's the number? How often will I be updated? You know, ask all the questions. It's hard to also put that on a victim. When hearing Dorin's story, it's like the shock. Even after this attack, she's not. She doesn't have the presence of mind to do that, I'm sure. But even to be able to reach out after, you know, one of the things that I feel like I've learned from trying to track information down, calling courthouses, calling police stations, is like, you know, bureaucratic institutions are not just gonna be like, here, let me help you and give you all this information. You just have to be like, okay, keep asking, keep asking. Okay, well, you should contact this department.

[Hannah Smith]

Cool.

[Narrator]

How do I do that? What would that website or that phone number be? You just have to ask a ton of questions, which. It's unfortunate that's the case, but, yeah.

[Pasha Eaton]

Yeah, you have to be kind of a bulldog about it. I mean, you and I have been contacting courthouses and looking for court records and reaching out to law enforcement for a long time now. But still, sometimes I have a really hard time figuring out, how do I get to this person? Oh, you have to go through this other person. And, you know, pretty soon you're following up three times. And, you know, for us working in podcasting, obviously that's a less important email than a victim, but I think the same bureaucratic nightmare exists where you're like, okay, but who do I call? What is the number? And they're like, let me look into that.

[Narrator]

Yeah, well, that sounds like a really helpful organization. We should put that in the show notes.

[Pasha Eaton]

Yeah. They're also, you know, there's no cost to utilizing their services.

[Narrator]

Oh, that's fantastic.

[Pasha Eaton]

Yeah.

[Narrator]

Do they serve all of Canada?

[Pasha Eaton]

I think they serve all of Canada, but I know they serve Ontario and they help people who have experienced violent crime. They have a homicide support group. They really have a lot of resources that I didn't even know existed that are more specific. So the Canadian Resource center for Victims of Crime. I'm just reading from what it says on their website. The CR CVC provides support, research and education to survivors of serious crime and stakeholders in Canada. So reach out to them if you need victim advocacy. I think that it was so easy for me to reach them and hop on a call. I have no doubt that they would help point someone in the right direction.

[Narrator]

Love that.

[Pasha Eaton]

So if anyone is interested in reaching out to the Canadian Resource center for Victims of Crime, you can go to their website. It's crcvc and there's a contact us link. And that is how I reached them and I heard back within a day.

[Narrator]

Amazing.

[Pasha Eaton]

Yeah, amazing. That was a great interview.

[Narrator]

Fantastic.

[Pasha Eaton]

We'll be back next week.

[Narrator]

All right, looking forward to it.

[Pasha Eaton]

If you have a story for us, we would love to hear it. Our email is the knife exactlyrightmedia.com or you can follow us on Instagram Athenife podcast or Blue sky at the Knife podcast.

[Narrator]

This has been an exactly right production, hosted and produced by me, Hannah Smith.

[Pasha Eaton]

And me, Pasha Eaton. Our producers are Tom Breyfogle and Alexis Amorosi.

[Narrator]

This episode was mixed by Tom Breyfogle.

[Pasha Eaton]

Our associate producer is Christina Chamberlain.

[Narrator]

Our theme music is by Birds in the Airport.

[Pasha Eaton]

Artwork by Vanessa Lilac.

[Narrator]

Executive produced by Karen Kilgariff, Georgia Hardstark and Danielle Kramer.

[Gilbert King]

Something unexpected happened after Jeremy Scott confessed to killing Michelle Schofield in Bone Valley season one.

[Darun Henry]

Every time I hear about my dad is, oh, he's a killer. He's just straight evil.

[Gilbert King]

I was becoming the bridge between Jeremy Scott and the son he'd never known.

[Darun Henry]

At the end of the day, I'm literally a son of a killer.

[Gilbert King]

Listen to new episodes of bone Valley Season 2 starting April 9 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.