A 32-year-old man is facing a murder charge in connection with the death of his mother, who died one day after she allegedly tried and failed to get police to force her son to get mental health treatment.
Jean-Luc Ferland, the son of Suzanne Desjardins, 57, who was found dead at her home in Drummondville on Monday, appeared in court on Tuesday and charged with the second-degree murder of his mother.
On Sunday afternoon the victim presented herself at the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) police station in Drummondville to request help from officers to force her son, who had been living with her for the past few weeks, to get psychiatric help. According to officials, officers at the station told her they could not immediately assist her in her request.
Police found the victim critically injured inside her home after getting a 911 call at 9:30 a.m. on Monday from a relative asking officers to check in on Desjardins, who had not been heard from since the day before. She was rushed to hospital where she was later pronounced dead.
Prosecutor Kevin Mailhiot said the suspect would remain detained until the case returns to court Aug. 14.
Quebec’s independent investigations bureau (BEI) is equally investigating the incident since the Sûreté du Québec police were alerted but did not intervene when asked to by Desjardins.
Eight BEI investigators have been assigned to the case. They will receive support from Montreal police, who are providing two forensic technicians.
The BEI investigates all cases where a person, not including police officers on duty, dies or is injured during a police intervention in Quebec.
Any person with information concerning the incident is asked to contact the BEI at its website.
–With files from Global News’ Benson Cook and the Canadian Press