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Family Demands Justice in Unexplained Death Case
14 Jul
Summary
- Indigenous woman's death investigation is being re-examined.
- Family alleges systemic failures in police and coroner's service.
- Unexplained injuries and cause of death remain unresolved.
Four years after the death of Tatyanna Harrison, a 20-year-old Indigenous woman, her family and supporters are urging a renewed investigation. A recent coroner's inquest highlighted alleged missteps by policing agencies and the B.C. Coroners Service, leading to calls for accountability.
Harrison's mother reported her missing on May 3, 2022. A deceased woman was found days prior, but it took three months for the body to be identified as Tatyanna's. She was found with significant injuries, and the initial cause of death was wrongly attributed to an overdose before being changed to sepsis, and ultimately ruled 'undetermined' by a jury.
Legal counsel for the family pointed to systemic failures, comparing them to past investigations, where discriminatory assumptions may have influenced the process. Crucial evidence was allegedly not tested, witness statements unverified, and the woman's injuries remain unexplained.
Further distress arose when the family learned Tatyanna was buried in an unmarked grave, a fact not disclosed by the coroners service. The parallel missing person's investigation also faced jurisdictional issues between police departments. These ongoing concerns have prompted a coalition to call for a comprehensive review and renewal of the investigation by the Ministry of Public Safety.
