Jenna Ostberg’s household has been ready greater than a 12 months for Ontario’s Particular Investigations Unit (SIU) to launch its report on the circumstances surrounding her loss of life.
The 21-year-old member of Bearskin Lake First Nation died in Thunder Bay on Dec. 30, 2023. It took three calls to 911 earlier than police responded to the residence on Ray Boulevard the place she was discovered lifeless, based on the SIU.
“The case stays underneath the director’s evaluation,” mentioned Kristy Denette, a spokesperson for the SIU, in an e-mail to Ontario Chronicle on Thursday. “When there’s a choice, a information launch will likely be issued.”
The SIU is an impartial authorities company that investigates the conduct of police which will have resulted in loss of life, severe damage, sexual assault or the discharge of a firearm at an individual.
“We’re drained,” mentioned Melanie Beardy, Jenna’s mom. “Each Sunday evening I might say, ‘perhaps this coming week is the week we hear from any individual, you understand?’ Then the subsequent Sunday comes and I am going to say it once more.”
The day Jenna died, the primary name to police was made round 2 a.m. ET, however police didn’t reply. They acquired a second name to cancel the primary name for service. The third 911 name acquired by police mentioned the lady had died, based on the SIU.
The preliminary 911 name made “was not in relation to violence within the residence involving the lady,” the SIU has confirmed.
Jenna Ostberg is described by her household as a proficient artist and musician who was shut together with her household. The 21-year-old died in Thunder Bay, Ont., on Dec. 30, 2023. (Sarah Regulation/CBC)
As for the Thunder Bay Police Service’s personal investigation, a spokesperson informed Ontario Chronicle that the drive can’t converse to the case till the SIU’s course of is full.
“The Thunder Bay Police Service labored in shut collaboration with the coroner’s workplace on this investigation. On account of an ongoing Particular Investigations Unit investigation, the Thunder Bay Police Service can’t remark additional at the moment,” mentioned spokesperson Matt Vis in an e-mail Thursday.
In the meantime, Ontario’s inspector basic of policing is evaluating how the Thunder Bay Police Service conducts loss of life and missing-person investigations following a number of complaints made – together with from Jenna’s household – about how latest circumstances have been dealt with.
“The grief has been exhausting as a result of we’ve got had no closure,” mentioned Vincent Ostberg, Jenna’s father. “The Thunder Bay Police and the SIU haven’t given us any closure in any respect.”
SIU response instances longest within the north
The SIU goals to finish its investigations inside 120 days. In line with its 2023-2024 report, it met this goal in 89.3 per cent of circumstances.
The standing of all SIU circumstances will be discovered on the unit’s web site.
It takes SIU investigators the longest to reply to incidents in northern Ontario, the newest annual report says, at a median of six hours and 4 minutes.
“On account of complexity or circumstances, many investigations require a big period of time to finish. The size of time may be impacted by components similar to how lengthy it took to conduct interviews and/or collect and analyze proof. In lots of cases, the unit should additionally await receipt of reviews from exterior organizations such because the Centre of Forensic Sciences or the Coroner’s Workplace.
“Whereas the SIU acknowledges it is very important resolve circumstances in a well timed method, the thoroughness of the investigation should take priority over the size of time it takes to complete an investigation,” the SIU’s web site says.
In all, legal charges have been laid by the SIU director in a dozen circumstances between 2023-2024 towards 13 officers – representing about 2.5 per cent of all circumstances investigated.
Jenna’s household says they can not entry the coroner’s report on Jenna’s loss of life – together with her post-mortem – till the continuing investigations are accomplished.
Upcoming assembly with inspector basic of policing
Beardy mentioned Ontario’s inspector basic of policing, Ryan Teschner, is coming to Thunder Bay later this month to fulfill with them in regards to the criticism they made in regards to the Thunder Bay Police Service.
One other criticism got here from the household of Corey Belesky, a member of Marten Falls First Nation who died in Thunder Bay on Nov. 1, 2022.
Melanie Beardy appears at art work made by her late daughter, Jenna Ostberg. (Sarah Regulation/CBC)
“We perceive what every of those households are going by way of. They don’t seem to be getting closure. They’re residing with trauma,” Ostberg mentioned. “I hope that the police inspectorate forces the SIU and the Thunder Bay police drive to shut their investigations.”
Ostberg would additionally wish to see the inspector’s report emphasize the necessity for culturally-appropriate policing providers within the metropolis, he mentioned.
“Institutional racism is one thing that must be recognized and addressed,” Ostberg mentioned.
“There needs to be a number of coaching supplied to the officers to grasp issues, like how it’s for Indigenous peoples regarding the authorities and the way funds and social circumstances are — as a result of they do not appear to grasp it.”
The household is continuous to recollect Jenna for her many abilities — from her sharp imaginative and prescient to her creativity with portray and sketching, and having the ability to play music by ear.
“She had a willpower to her character,” Ostberg mentioned. “She was proficient.”
