The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations is putting pressure on the Vancouver Police Service to further investigate the death of an Indigenous woman.
Chelsea Poorman, a member of Kawacatoose First Nation, went missing in Vancouver in 2020. Her body was found in a home in the city last month.
Vancouver Police have said they found no evidence of foul play in her death and may never know what happened to her.
However, during a vigil in her honour this past weekend, members of Poorman’s family questioned those findings and expressed disappointment in the police investigation.
The FSIN put out a statement Tuesday in support of Poorman’s family calling for the police service to re-examine Chelsea’s death and help bring closure to the family.
“We stand with the family of Chelsea Poorman as they continue to pursue justice for Chelsea,” said FSIN Vice Chief Aly Bear in the statement. “We call upon the Vancouver Police Department to proceed with the investigation in order to find out what happened to Chelsea to assist her family in finding closure in the tragic loss of their daughter.”
The organization is also asking for Vancouver police to apologize to the family.
“The Vancouver Police must issue an apology to Chelsea’s family for their lack of action, then the real work has to begin,” said FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron in the statement as well. “Too many of our mothers, daughters, sisters have been taken and murdered, and we have gotten no answers as to what happens. This needs to end.”
The Vancouver Police Service previously stated they took Poorman’s case seriously from the beginning.
Meanwhile, the FSIN is asking anyone with information that may help in the investigation to come forward.