York police begin probe into Thunder Bay deaths
Force called in to investigate how Indigenous teens died after bodies found in waterways
York Regional Police is investigating the deaths of two Indigenous teens whose bodies were found in Thunder Baywaterways in May.
Ontario Chief Coroner Dr. Dirk Huyer said he contacted the York police service to provide a “new perspective” into the investigation of the death of North Caribou Lake First Nation’s Tammy Keeash, 17, and Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug’s Josiah Begg, 14.
Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service, the largest First Nations police service in Canada, will assis York Regional Police.
It has close to130 officers serving northern Ontario Indigenous communities.
“They started Wednesday,” Huyer said, adding that he, the York Regional Police and Thunder Bay Police met to try to figure out an “operational approach” to the investigation.
“York Region is an external agency, they’ll bring a different perspective into these death investigations . . .”
“They are a moderately, big-sized organization so they have the capacity to be able to provide the investigators to assist us, but also they have experience and skill in complex death investigations,” Huyer said.
Thunder Bay has been on edge after the deaths of Keeash, who disappeared from her foster home on May 6 and whose body was found in the Neebing-McIntyre Floodway on May 7, and Begg, who disappeared the same night. His body was found by a police underwater team on May 18. Begg had been in town with his father for medical appointments.
Thunder Bay police have said Keeash’s death was consistent with drowning, even though she was trained in water safety. Begg’s community was concerned that the police said there was “no evidence” that he had gone near the river and the search for the teen was called off early, First Nations leaders said.
The teens’ deaths follow that of Stacy DeBungee, a 41-year-old Rainy River First Nation man whose body was found in a river in October 2015. Hours after his body was found, po- lice said his death was not “suspicious.” DeBungee’s family and community hired an outside private investigator who discovered his bank card was used shortly after his death.
All 77 northern Ontario Indigenous leaders last month called on provincial and federal authorities to bring in the RCMP to investigate the deaths. Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler said Thursday that they had wanted the RCMP to investigate all three deaths.
“This is not the request that we made a few weeks ago when we were in Queen’s Park asking for the RCMP to come in,” Fiddler said. He conceded it was important a “fresh set of eyes come in and help the coroner’s office to fully investigate the circumstances that led to the tragic deaths of Josiah Begg and Tammy Keeash.”
Keeash and Begg were the sixth and seventh Indigenous teens to die in Thunder Bay waters since 2000. Indigenous leaders have long complained about the quality of the police investigations surrounding the deaths, noting many are quick to say no foul play is suspected.
An eight-month long inquest into the deaths of the seven teens — five of whom were found in waterways — wrapped up one year ago. The inquest had 145 recommendations and heard evidence of the racism Indigenous people in Thunder Bay face daily.
The Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) — an arm’s-length civilian police watch- dog — has been investigating Thunder Bay Police since November for “systemic racism” relating to all cases of Indigenous deaths and disappearances.
The Thunder Bay Police Services Board is also under investigation by the Ontario Civilian Police Commission for their failure to police the police. The OIPRD is now investigating the deaths of Begg and Keeash.
York investigators will travel to North Caribou and Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug, both in northwestern Ontario, to meet the families and discuss what is happening.
Thunder Bay’s acting chief of police, Sylvie Hauth, said in a statement that their force will do whatever it can to assist.
Concerning the DeBungee death, Fiddler said that he, Rainy River Chief Jim Leonard and Grand Council Treaty #3 Ogichidaa Francis Kavanaugh were told the OPP did conduct an investigation into the De- Bungee case at the request of Thunder Bay Police.
But after completing the investigation, the OPP turned over their report to Thunder Bay Police, but “for reasons we don’t understand, the Thunder Bay Police is refusing to share the report with the family or the community.”
“We are very concerned about this. We need to make sure the family has access to that report,” Fiddler said.
Fiddler said all the northern chiefs want the federal government to step in and address what is happening in Thunder Bay.
“That is still our position. They have a role and responsibility — especially when it comes to ensuring the safety of our students that come to Thunder Bay to go to high school. They are also responsible. The recommendations of the inquest, many are directed to the federal government and they are obligated to help,” Fiddler said.