WINNIPEG — With Tina Fontaine’s alleged killer now behind bars the Office of the Children’s Advocate will soon be able to enter the in-depth phase of its investigation into her death.
It will focus on the care provided by child and family services and identifying any gaps in the system Fontaine may have fallen through.
It requires interviews with people who knew Fontaine and could potentially affect a police investigation.
Now that a suspect has been arrested, the Children’s Advocate is a step closer to completing their independent investigation into what happened to Fontaine and potentially issuing recommendations for the CFS system.
RELATED: 53-year-old man arrested in Tina Fontaine murder case
“We’re not waiting for recommendations to make the changes that are necessary we have been doing that from the moment we found out about the death of Tina,” said Family Services Minister Kerri Irvin Ross.
In a statement on the Children’s Advocate’s Facebook page Darlene MacDonald wrote, “I hope that we can honour Tina, and her family, by learning from what they have experienced, and committing ourselves to the work of ending the violence being committed against so many indigenous women and girls.”
On Friday, Winnipeg Police announced the arrest of 53-year-old Raymond Joseph Cormier in connection with Fontaine’s death. He’s been charged with second degree murder.
Fontaine’s body was found wrapped in plastic in the Red River in August, 2014.
She had been reported missing from CFS care before she was killed.
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