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B.C. Inquest: Mother Claims Police Botched Missing Daughter's Case
4 Jul
Summary
- Mother claims police investigation into her daughter's death was inadequate.
- Tatyanna Harrison's body was unidentified for over four months.
- A rape kit collected six months after death remains untested.
An inquest into the death of Tatyanna Harrison has heard testimony from her mother, Natasha Harrison, who asserts that police mishandled the investigation into her daughter's disappearance and subsequent death. Tatyanna's body was discovered on a drydocked yacht in Richmond, B.C., on May 2, 2022, but her identity as the missing 20-year-old was only confirmed over four months later, on September 5.
During her testimony, Harrison detailed how the missing person file was transferred between police departments, leaving her to search for her daughter independently in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside for three months. She also described a police sketch of the deceased that bore no resemblance to Tatyanna, differing significantly in age, height, and facial features.
Richmond RCMP Constable Joshua Wilkinson testified that Tatyanna's name was dismissed as a potential match despite her photo being available. He also noted the presence of drug paraphernalia on the boat and stated there was no initial indication of foul play. A rape kit was collected six months after Tatyanna's death and two months after her identification, but it has not yet been tested. The owner of the yacht has a connection to Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.
