Niagara Chapter-Native Women – The NCNW Board of Directors is asking for a full Coroner’s Inquest into the death of Heather Winterstein, 24, who passed away while in the care of Niagara Health System on Dec 10, 2021. We call for the Coroner’s Inquest to address the long-standing issues of discrimination against Indigenous people, particularly Indigenous Women and to fulfill the family’s wishes to ensure that this “never happens to another family”.
“Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident.’ She says “an eerily similar story occurred when Brent Sky 32, an Ojibway man from Shoal Lake reserve, was transported 90 kilometres by ambulance to Lake of the Woods District Hospital in Kenora.” He was suffering with an extremely severe headache and painful vision. He was seen in the emergency room and sent on his way with 3 Ibuprofen pills, (readily available over the counter). He travelled back home – alone – by bus. Speaking to his parents that evening, he still complained of the headache and pain in his eyes. The following morning his father found him dead. He died of a brain bleed. This was October 27, reported in a CBC article posted on December 13, 2021, “just 3 days after Heather’s Dec. 10 death,’’ said Brant.