B.C. coroner reopens probe into Indigenous woman's death as families push for answers in 3 cases

B.C.'s chief coroner has ordered the investigation into a young Indigenous woman's death be reopened, a day after the family publicly called for an inquest.

Tatyanna Harrison, 20, was found dead on a docked yacht in Richmond in May 2022. Her mother, Natasha Harrison, was told criminality was not suspected in her daughter's case, and that her cause of death was fentanyl toxicity. The coroner's report later said her cause of death was sepsis. 

On Monday, groups including Justice for Girls and the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs announced that an independent forensic pathologist review was disputing the B.C. Coroners Service's findings in connection with the case, saying her cause of death could not be determined.

Dr. Jatinder Baidwan, British Columbia's chief coroner, said in a statement, "As a parent, I cannot fathom the trauma and grief that the Harrison family has experienced over the past three years. The pain of losing a child is unimaginable, and the concerns the Harrisons have expressed regarding the circumstances of Tatyanna's death only add to that pain."

WATCH | Family's push leads to reopened investigation into Indigenous woman's death:

Family's push leads to reopened investigation into Tatyanna Harrison’s death

1 day ago

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B.C.'s chief coroner has ordered the investigation into a young Indigenous woman's death be reopened, a day after the family publicly called for an inquest. The body of 20-year-old Tatyanna Harrison was found on a docked yacht in Richmond in May 2022. Meera Bains reports.

"Pursuant to Section 18 of the Coroners Act, I am directing a coroner's inquest to publicly review the circumstances that led to her death."

Indigenous deaths under investigation

Tatyanna Harrison is one of three high-profile deaths of young Indigenous people that are now under scrutiny. The families of Chelsea Poorman and Noelle O'Soup, who also died in the spring of 2022, are also asking for an inquest into their deaths.

Baidwan wrote, "The investigations into the deaths of Chelsea Poorman and Noelle O'Soup remain open. Determinations about whether to proceed to an inquest with those deaths will be made at a future date, and we will remain in communication with the Poorman and O'Soup families throughout the process."

Sue Brown, director of advocacy and staff lawyer at Justice for Girls, said the coroner's decision shows "compassion and understanding for the grief and enduring questions that the family has had."

Brown said she is relieved, but frustrated because she thinks it should have happened three years ago. Instead, the families have spent three years pushing for accountability when they could have been healing.

"Having to reopen and reinvestigate and try to sit with the unanswered questions is absolutely agonizing and heartbreaking."

Brown said Tatyanna Harrison's mother, Natasha Harrison, is grateful for the news.

"My understanding is that she's incredibly relieved that the coroner has directed an inquest, however ... this has been a long time coming."

The families of Tatyanna Harrison, Poorman and O'Soup have long raised concerns about the investigations into their disappearances and deaths.

A recent CBC News investigation revealed the Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner is currently reviewing the police responses to all three cases.

Natasha Harrison said there was a 20-day delay in starting the search for her daughter after she disappeared from downtown Vancouver, because the file was unnecessarily and incorrectly transferred between police jurisdictions in Vancouver and Surrey.

She said despite her daughter being found naked from the waist down, her death was quickly deemed to be non-criminal in nature, and no rape kit exam was performed. She said Monday she is still waiting for the rape kit to be processed. 

Brown said advocates and the families remain hopeful that there will be inquests for Poorman and O'Soup.

"Both cases have have a number of of unanswered questions, much like Tatyanna's, that we believe a coroner's inquest could shed light on," she said.

Looking ahead, Brown said she and others will work closely with the coroners office to determine when the inquest for Tatyanna Harrison will take place.

"And then as the the corners process is undertaken, the family has an opportunity to participate in the inquest and so we'll be seeking every opportunity to do so."