First Nations student deaths inquest: on-call support worker testifies
The resources available to help students from remote communities comes under scrutiny this week at the inquest examining the deaths of seven young First Nations people who came to Thunder Bay to further their education.
- First Nations student deaths inquest: Testimony from Robyn Harper's mother
- In depth: First Nations student deaths inquest
Evidence suggests those resources failed Robyn Harper, who died in 2007, when she was attending Dennis Franklin Cromarty school in Thunder Bay, said Jonathan Rudin, a lawyer representing six of the seven families during the inquest.
"You know this is going to be one of the themes of this inquest is how much can a place like Dennis Franklin Cromarty [high school] and NNEC [Northern Nishnawbe Education Council], which supervises it, how much can they do, what is it fair to expect them to do," said Rudin.
During Wednesday's proceeding, jurors at the inquest saw images of Robyn Harper's final hours, captured on January 12, 2007, on a surveillance camera at the old Brodie Street bus terminal in Thunder Bay.
The video was introduced as part of the testimony of David (Harley) Fox, an on-call support worker with the Northern Nishnawbe Education Council. He said he picked Harper up from the bus terminal, and drove her back to her boarding home, where he needed help to get her into the house.
Fox testified that he learned of Harper's death, the following morning.
The inquest will examine each of the seven deaths individually until the new year.
Recommendations from the inquest are expected in March, 2016.
Here is a look at the some of the proceedings from the CBC reporter in the courtroom.
Inquest resumes 45 minutes behind schedule w/ 1st witness David (Harley) Fox, a night driver for First Nations school in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tbay?src=hash">#tbay</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterFox was one of the drivers who responded to a call at Brodie bus terminal on a January Friday night in 2007. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterFox says he went inside the bus terminal to find several students, including Robyn Harper who was 'intoxicated, for sure', staggering <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterFox says other students were okay but concerned about Robyn. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterCoroner's counsel wants to show video of Robyn at the bus terminal. Robyn's mom leaves court room <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterVideo is a compilation of stills from the bus station surveillance camera the night Robyn Harper died <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterRobyn is seen in a puffy winter jacket, hugging another student, then later sitting on a bench around 10:20 pm
—@cbcreporterNext frames show Robyn Harper on the floor of the bus terminal, another student attempting to help her up <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterCourtroom silent as images of Robyn Harper in distress at bus station flash on screen <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterMan who appears to be a security guard appears on scene in video of bus terminal around 10:29 pm, then disappears <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterRobyn Harper seen falling off the bench again, helped up again, David Fox, the van driver appears in video ~10:30 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterSurveillance video from outside bus terminal shows Fox and other students helping Robyn into school van <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterCoroner's counsel says all lawyers in agreement video was taken Jan. 12, 2007, seized from bus terminal by police <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterSad irony that inquest is now being held on the site of the Brodie bus terminal seen on video of night Robyn died <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporter'She wanted to lie down in the hallway,' Fox says of taking Robyn Harper into her boarding home. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterBoarding home parent suggested Robyn be laid on her side 'to let her rest for a bit,' Fox says <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterFox says until the inquest was called, police never talked to him about Robyn's death <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterAfter Robyn's death, van drivers were more likely to take students who were drunk to hospital, instead of home, Fox says <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterFox now being questioned about 'runners', people who would buy alcohol for students. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterJurors now looking at sketch Fox made of interior of house Robyn died in, and photos of the hallway where she was laid on her side <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterFox says he received limited training and did not know that someone could die of alcohol poisoning <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterRobyn's mother, Tina Harper has returned to court room. Sitting with family, head down, eyes closed. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterFWFN Elder Marlene Pierre, who is largely responsible for this inquest having a representative jury, was attending this morning <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterThis story explains Marlene Pierre's contribution <a href="https://t.co/cWApVhOJOu">https://t.co/cWApVhOJOu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterFox says he was knocked out once trying to break up a fight between 'white kids' & First Nations students <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterFox says the fight happened near the Macs at May and Dease, a 'hot spot', says the fight was 'race-related' <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporter'I think they were a gang - the white kids,' van driver David (Harley) Fox says <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterWhen asked about police treatment of First Nations students, Fox says police treat students 'roughly' <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterLawyer Chantelle Bryson asks whether there is 'unnecessary' police violence, coroner disallows question, says only expert can answer <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporter'I'm just worried for the students,' Fox says. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterCoroner Dr. Eden asks Fox to clarify if altercation between 2 groups was between 'natives and whites' or 'natives and non-natives' <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterNo reliable internet feed can be found for another on-call worker who was supposed to testify remotely from an isolated community <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterInquest moves on to next witness, Bryan Kakegamic, husband to Cheyanne Linklater, boarding home parent to Robyn Harper. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterBryan Kakegamic is Robyn Harper's cousin, but says he only saw her 1 or 2 x when she was a toddler prior to Robyn moving in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterKakegamic says he woke early, found Robyn on floor in hall. 'I nudged her foot with my foot, she moved her foot...I left for work' <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterKakegamic says when he returned from work, Robyn still on the floor. Later his brother knocked on bedroom door, said Robyn was dead <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporter'I just sat down on the bed. I didn't quite believe him,' Kakegamic says <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterFamily members have arms around Robyn's mother, Tina, as she is leaned over, facing floor, listening to testimony, crying softly <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterKakegamic delivered newspapers. He left for work about 2 a.m., returned around 6:30 a.m. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterKakegamic says police were often at their house to deal with other students who boarded there and were drinking <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporter'We've seen it all,' Kakegamic says of First Nations students who stayed at their house, 'angry, threatening to harm themselves' <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbctb?src=hash">#cbctb</a>
—@cbcreporterInquest recessed for the day. You can see all my tweets from the day here: <a href="https://t.co/uaUIRXJnHf">https://t.co/uaUIRXJnHf</a> and hear more at 5:20 on <a href="https://twitter.com/UpNorthCBC">@UpNorthCBC</a>
—@cbcreporter