Richelle Dubois speaks on April 26, 2017. Photo by Manfred Joehnck.
An Aboriginal woman believes authorities would take a more serious look at the circumstances surrounding her son’s death if he was a white child.
Richelle Dubois made the comments during an emotional news conference in Regina, where she called on the justice minister to hold an inquest into the death.
It was Richelle who found the body of her son Haven in a shallow creek just a couple of blocks away from their east Regina home in May of 2015.
There was talk at the time that he freaked out after smoking marijuana for the first time and wandered away from a group of people, before ending up in the creek.
The coroner listed marijuana as a major contributing factor in the death, but later changed that making no reference to marijuana as a factor.
Richelle says there were several other changes and other leads that weren’t followed.
“And I feel like if we were a white family I believe this wouldn’t have happened,” she said.
“I believe the reports would have been accurate and everything would have been looked into.”
Richelle Dubois says she is doing what any mother do, fighting for justice for her son. She says she won’t stop until she has exhausted all avenues of appeal.
“I will keep fighting for my son, for his voice, until I believe that justice is served.”
The call for an inquest was also made at the Regina Board of Police Commissioners meeting. Chief Evan Bray says he would be open to the idea.
The family has also sent a message to the justice minister, but has not had any response yet.