Indigenous woman who died at Whitehorse shelter was left lying face down on mattress by staff, inquest hears – CBC

Apr 16, 2024

Coroner’s inquest looks at deaths of 4 Indigenous women at emergency shelter in 2022 and 2023

Footage from the Whitehorse Emergency Shelter’s security camera shown at a coroner’s inquest on Monday showed that hours before Darla Skookum was reported dead, staff placed her on a mattress on the floor, directly on her stomach, as she appeared motionless.

Video also showed her unable to stand or walk on her own earlier that night, on April 15, 2023. She was reported dead the morning after.

Skookum, who was member of Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation, is one of four Indigenous women who are the focus of the inquest. All four died while accessing services at the shelter.

Read More: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/yukon-whitehorse-coroner-inquest-shelter-1.7174672