What began as a 911 call to the apartment of 29-year-old black woman Regis Korchinski-Paquet ended in her death after she suspiciously “fell” off her balcony in a fatal incident. On Wednesday (May 27th) night, Regis’ mother, Claudette Korchinski-Beals, called the police after Regis, who suffers from epilepsy, was left in “distress” from a conflict. “I asked the police if they could take my daughter to CAMH,” said Claudette, referring to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, “and my daughter ended up dead.”
Jag Gundu/Getty Images
According to Police Chief Mark Saunders, officers responded to a “frantic” call reporting an assault and immediately arrived on the scene. Regis’ family’s lawyer, Knia Singh, reported during a news conference the following day that police followed Regis into the bathroom and refused her brother entry. Claudette and Regis’ brother were outside the apartment unit when they heard Regis crying out to her mother for help, and soon after, she was pronounced dead. Claudette and Regis’ cousin have taken to social media to accuse the officers on the scene of pushing Regis off the balcony and killing her.
The Special Investigations Unit has stated in a press release that they are “aware of allegations made by certain family members of the deceased” and are looking to speak to anyone with any information. Chief Saunders is also urging any witnesses to contact the SIU. “We know this incident has caused a great deal of concern, and our thoughts are with the family and the community,” Saunders said in a statement. “Let me be very clear that we want the facts as much as anyone.”
“The family is extremely concerned that in recent times people with mental health distress issues across North America are ending up dead after interactions with the police,” Singh said. The investigation into this incident is ongoing.
