The Northern View, April 09, 2014

Page 1

PRINCE RUPERT VOL. 9 NO. 15

Wednesday, April 9, 2014 FREE

Bodies of mother and son found

SHADOW DANCE Feature

Details scarce

Heart of our city: Heloise Viviers Page A7

BY SHAUN THOMAS PRINCE RUPERT / The Northern View

“It is far too early to speculate as to the circumstances that led to these two deaths.”

Arts Artist’s mask chosen for Canadian coin Page A12

Kevin Campbell / The Northern View

Mickaela Ward performs Breathe Me during the Prince Rupert Figure Skating Club’s year-end gala on Saturday night. For more on the show, see Page A15.

Sports Edenshaw entering Hall of Fame Page A17

Brooks family refutes autopsy report Drowning confirmed, but bruises raise questions BY MARTINA PERRY PRINCE RUPERT / The Northern View

Haida Gwaii Vogstad preparing for life at SFU Page B2

D

SOL

1944 8th Ave East $148,500

The events that led to the discovery of a woman and her teenage son on Prince Rupert’s east side remain unclear as RCMP continue their investigation. RCMP were called to a home on the corner of 6th Ave. East and Ebert Street at approximately 5:30 p.m. on April 3 after being requested to check on those inside. Upon arrival, officers discovered - Const. Matt Ericson the bodies inside. A l t h o u g h members of the North District Major Crime Unit was called in to assist Prince the Rupert General Investigation Section, Const. Matt Ericson was unable to provide details on the situation. See BODIES on Page A2

The family of Justin Brooks, the 21-year-old male who was discovered deceased at the Rotary Waterfront Park in March 2013, recently received the autopsy into the young man’s death. Brooks’ mother, Cheryl Ryan, said the autopsy came to the same conclusion Prince Rupert RCMP did — Brooks drowned on that cold, early March morning. A BC Coroner’s Service spokesperson said the autopsy could not be released to the Northern View for privacy reasons, but the Province newspaper released an article on the subject last week that states “Coroner Joy Sundin rule Brooks ... died accidentally from drowning and said acute alcohol intoxication was

“Someone had to have put him in the water.” - Cheryl Ryan a factor in his death”. “I don’t believe it was an accident, suicide or a slip and fall,” said Ryan. “I keep going through the autopsy report. It’s bothering me.” Brooks passed away between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. on March 4. Prince Rupert RCMP ruled out foul play last April, which sparked a complaint from

Brooks’ family, who claim RCMP told them Brooks was beaten up by a group of young people shortly before his passing. “The autopsy says he has head injuries, bruises and scratches on his head, torso, face and legs. Everywhere,” said Ryan. “It said they couldn’t determine if it was from a slip and fall or from the beating. But I can tell you what I saw when we saw him in the casket. It was from the beating. They can’t tell me anything different. I’ve had this feeling since the beginning. Someone had to have put him in the water ... we’re not done. We’re still raising money to keep the investigators going ... we know more than what we got out of the RCMP [because of the investigators].” See BROOKS on Page A2

Gord Kobza

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