First Nations student deaths inquest: School support worker testifies
Court will also hear from Thunder Bay police officers Thursday
The school support worker for Jethro Anderson testified Thursday at the coroner's inquest into his death. Anderson is one of seven First Nation students whose deaths in Thunder Bay are the subject of the inquest. All had left their remote northern Ontario communities to attend school in the city.
Anderson's aunt raised concerns in her Wednesday testimony about the police response to Anderson's disappearance. He was missing for two weeks before searchers from Kasabonika Lake First Nation found his body in the Kaministiquia River in Thunder Bay.
Below is a look at the some of the proceedings from CBC reporter Jody Porter in the courtroom.
Next witness is Louis Bystrican, Det. Cst w/ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tbay?src=hash">#tbay</a> police at time of Jethro Anderson's death in Nov. 2000 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterBystrican outlining series of inquiries he made on Nov. 4 2000 in police search for Jethro Anderson, who disappeared Oct. 28 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterBystrican says police interviewed a man on Nov. 7 who insisted he had seen a boy matching Jethro's description in early days of Nov. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterDay after police issue news release saying 'no foul play suspected' Bystrican says he called the coroner re: post mortem <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterBystrican says coroner said 'all indications were consistent w/drowning'. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterBystrican asked about more tests done for post mortem 'It was a quick call. I wouldn't have understood the medical terminology' <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterJethro's family leaves court as Bystrican relays details of police reopening case in Aug. 2004 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterBystrican says a man came to police to say 2 girls were saying they killed Jethro <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterCourt room cleared as lawyers discuss whether they were prepared for this evidence <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterFamily members now openly crying in hallway <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterInquest resumes with presiding coroner reminding jurors that witnesses can give hear say evidence <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterDr. Eden: witness can 'say what other people told him. It does not make it true' <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterBystrican says he investigated the allegation 2 girls killed Jethro. Says he found no evidence to back up claim <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterBystrican: there was very little credible information in his statement (that girls killed Jethro) that I could corroborate <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterOnly one of Jethro's aunts and his dad have returned to court room. Mom and 2 other aunts did not return after upset & break <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterFamily's lawyer asking Bystrican about all the various stories about fights and jealousies on the night Jethro disappeared <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterBetween 2000-2004 Bystrican says 'I have no information if [Jethro's case file] was idle or inactive' <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterJethro's mom and aunties just returned to court room with their support workers <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterFamily's lawyer says family wants to know why despite many reports, police waited until cap was found to fully investigate Kam River <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterBystrican says he was not involved at that level of decision making <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporter'Native community wanted to know what police were doing 6 days after Jethro was reported missing' Nishnawbe Aski Nation lawyer says <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterBystrican says he was made aware there were concerns <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterBy time police criminal investigations branch engaged, reports show First Nations community already had 100 volunteers our searching <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporter'I don't know the explanation [for delay in police response] I'm not aware of it, I don't recall it,' Bystrican says. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterBystrican says he has no knowledge of Dora Morris' repeated calls to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tbay?src=hash">#tbay</a> police, nor her complaint against them <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterUnder cross examination Bystrican says he did no follow up interviews based on 2004 report about girls saying they killed Jethro <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporter'I did not have carriage of the case,' Bystrican says.
—@cbcreporterInquest adjourned until Nov. 16. Will not sit tomorrow or next week <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporter