Family vows to fight for answers
Explanation of how her sister died in custody leaves Corner Brook woman feeling furious
They were 17 months apart and often fought like cats and dogs, but they were sisters and the bond ran deep.
“We were the best of friends,” said April Piercey of her sister Samantha.
That bond is why April can’t accept the explanation her family has gotten for how her big sister died.
Samantha Piercey died on May 26 while incarcerated at the Clarenville Correctional Centre for Women. She was 28.
It was 48 hours after her death that her family was told she died by suicide.
The last time April saw Samantha was in a courtroom in Corner Brook just before her sister was denied bail and placed on remand until she could be tried on charges of assault. That was just over a month before she died.
“She was sad,” said April outside the Sir Richard Squires Building this week, where she stood by in support as her mother Lisa Piercey spoke at a rally, organized by the Corner Brook Status of Women Council, calling for changes within
the province’s prisons and for an inquiry into the deaths of people housed in them.
Samantha was the third person to die while incarcerated this year and the second one to die at the Clarenville centre.
“She was struggling so much
here before she left,” said April.
Samantha’s words to her sister were ‘maybe this is what I need, maybe this is what’s going to help me,’ according to April.
She didn’t have any contact with her after that day, which leaves April with a lot of guilt.
She messaged a friend of Samantha’s on the Thursday before her death to ask him to tell her she would be getting a calling card when she got paid and would call her. She asked him to tell her she loved her.
“He messaged me back the day that she died around 7 p.m. and he said ‘I was talking to her today and she understands and she loves you,’” she said, her voice breaking up.
She said it’s been hard to grieve. She was so upset when she found out about her death and that changed to anger when her mother told her how Samantha killed herself.
“And I’m not an angry person at all, and I’m furious. As soon as she said that to me I stopped crying.”
She said there is no way Samantha did that to herself.
April said suicide was mentioned at her funeral and words like she was finally out of her misery and it was what she wanted were said.
Still she understands where the words come from.
“Maybe after I find out I can grieve that way, but right now I can’t,” said April
Her family wants to know exactly what happened to Samantha, why it took so long for them to be contacted and why no one is answering their questions.
“I need something,” said
April.
Samantha was said to have been upset and had been medicated the evening she died. Her mother has said she should never have been left alone if she was in the state authorities say she was.
April said she knows mistakes happen, but there has to be accountability.
Her mother has vowed not to give up until they have answers and there is change.
Lisa said there needs to be a family liaison officer to work with families and called for a public inquiry into the deaths at the Clarenville facility.
“When I finally got my daughter home and held her for the last time my words to her were ‘mommy will fight one last battle for you and I promise you that I will win this fight baby girl. I love you so, so much.’”
And she had a message for Justice Minister Andrew Parsons and Premier Dwight Ball: “Never ever underestimate the power of a mother on a mission. Because I’m not going away.”