Family demands police accountability

The family of Cassity Delvenne rallied outside the Brandon police station on Wednesday, calling on officers to take the investigation into her death seriously and alleging that evidence was mishandled.

More than 30 family members and supporters gathered outside the building on Victoria Avenue to honour the 24-year-old Indigenous woman, who was the mother of a five-year-old girl and a student pursuing a psychology degree at Brandon University.

“I refuse to be quiet about the way my daughter’s death was handled,” said Cassity’s mother, Crystal Delvenne.

She turned toward multiple police officers standing outside the building and said, “Do not ask this family to simply trust you. Show us.”

She stood weeping while holding a sign that said, “Brandon police must be held accountable — no more excuses,” as an advocate for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls put a hand on her shoulder.

Other protesters held signs decorated with red handprints and pictures of Cassity, describing how her life mattered and that she must never be forgotten.

“I want her to be remembered for who she was and not just labelled as a police file,” Crystal told the Sun on Tuesday.

“And that’s why I’m fighting so hard for like a proper investigation and truthful answers because this isn’t fair to my daughter.”

Paramedics were called to Cassity’s apartment on Patricia Avenue around 9:15 p.m. on June 21 and found her unconscious and not breathing, Brandon police said in a news release on Monday.

Despite emergency response efforts, she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police continue to investigate and are working closely with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to determine what factors contributed to Cassity’s death, Brandon Police Service Chief Tyler Bates said during a news conference Wednesday after the protest.

At this time, police and the medical examiner haven’t identified any indications of foul play and are waiting for toxicology results. The cause of her death is undetermined, Bates said.

“The chief medical examiner was unable to provide us any information with respect to bodily injury to Cassity that would explain her passing,” he said.

“I think that’s every parent’s worst nightmare really, being in a situation where you have a loved one that has suffered terrible tragedy and you don’t have the answers.”

Crystal, who is from the community of Barrows, said police initially suspected her daughter overdosed, but she believes foul play was involved and questions why more evidence wasn’t seized at the scene.

She alleged officers admitted to making a “human error” when they allowed Cassity’s boyfriend — who was at the scene when she died — to keep her phone and apartment keys.

These items should have been used as police evidence in her investigation, Crystal said, adding that she pushed police to retrieve the items and interview people closest to Cassity about her death.

Now she questions whether any other errors were made during the investigation.

She said her daughter had experienced violence in the past and that there are inconsistencies in witnesses’ accounts of what happened on the night of her death.

Throughout the investigation, Crystal said she’s felt “brushed off” by police and wants officers take it more seriously.

“I want Brandon police to actually do a full investigation on her death, like follow every piece of, you know, evidence … and explain everything to me,” she said.

“I want them to review how the scene was handled, and why was her death treated as an overdose, and now it’s undetermined?”

Bates acknowledged the family has many questions surrounding the circumstances of Cassity’s death.

While it’s important to have ongoing dialogue with the family, he said there are aspects of the case police are unable to discuss to protect the integrity of the investigation.

Bates said the family will be notified first regarding any updates.

Cassity was raised in Winnipeg and moved to Brandon more than five years ago to pursue post-secondary education, Crystal said.

She worked with people who have a disability and those who are struggling with addictions. She was kind and would go to any length to help others, Crystal said.

“My daughter was such a beautiful, beautiful person. And I miss her every day so much,” she said while getting choked up.

“I want her to be remembered as an amazing person.”

Donna Delvenne, Cassity’s grandmother, said it’s tragic Cassity’s daughter now has to grow up without her mother by her side.

“She was a very special person in my life. I was very close to her growing up,” Donna said Wednesday on the phone from Barrows.

“She accomplished so much in such a very short time,” she said, adding that Cassity was incredibly smart.

Gabrielle Beaubier shook as she spoke at the rally, wiping tears from her face as she described the love she has for her late friend.

“She was strong and I will be strong for her now too,” she said.

Beaubier’s brother, Jordan Oakley, also spoke at the rally, and called on police to be held accountable for what he described as a lack of professionalism.

“Police are here to serve the community. And there is no community, as far as I’m concerned … without our First Nations people,” Oakley said.

“Without them feeling safe, I don’t see how we can ever even call ourselves a nation.”

» tadamski@brandonsun.com