Indigenous woman who died at Whitehorse shelter was left lying face down on mattress by staff, inquest hears

Warning: this story contains distressing details.

Footage from the Whitehorse Emergency Shelter'ssecurity camera shownat acoroner's inquest on Monday showed that hours before Darla Skookum was reported dead,staff placed heron a mattress on the floor, directly on her stomach, as she appeared motionless.

Video also showed her unable to stand or walk on her ownearlier that night, on April 15, 2023. She was reported dead the morning after.

Skookum, who wasmember of Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation, isone of four Indigenous women who are the focus of theinquest.All four diedwhile accessing services at the shelter.

Last week, the first days of the inquestlookedinto the deaths of Myranda Tizya-Charlie, 34, and Cassandra Warville, 35,who were reported dead on January 19, 2022. Both were members of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, in Old Crow. Theinquest also looked at Josephine Elizabeth Hager's death, who was reported dead on Feb.1, 2023. She was a member of Selkirk First Nation.

Warville and Tizya-Charlie's deaths havebeen confirmed by the chiefcoroner to be the result of toxic illicit drugs. However, Hager and Skookum's cause of death have yet to be confirmed.

On Monday, the inquest focused on Skookum.

"We were a very close-knitfamily," one family member told the inquest.

"She always had a hug for anyone who needed it ... she loved everyone and would give her last money to someone in need."

Presiding coroner Michael Egilson and the jury spent all day reviewing video surveillance taken a year ago, on the night Skookum died.

The inquest also heard fromRCMP Const. Derek Kirstein, the lead investigator of Skookum's death who reviewed the footagecaptured on the night she died.

The video played at the inquest showed Skookum hanging out in the shelter's lounge area, appearing to be drinking from a cup with her partner at some point.

She later seemedunable to stand or walk on her own. That's when the shelter staff moved her with a wheelchair to the overflow area, where guests can sleep for the night. The video showed that three staff members transferred Skookum onto a floor mattress around 9:45 p.m., placing her directly on her stomach.

Skookum appeared motionless in the video,lying with her face directly in a pillowfor more than 12 hours.

Staff were seen coming inand out of the room, helping other guests to settle in for the night. But the video surveillance revealed no employeeappeared to check directly on Skookum.

The video, however, didn't provide any sounds, including conversations among staff and guests.

Shortly after 10 a.m., footage showed one staff member performing checks in the overflow room, and assessed Skookum. He was seen leaving the room, and right after, an on-site EMS medic came backand moved Skookum onto her back, revealing a puddle of bodily fluid on the mattress and pillow.

Kirsteintestified police were called around that time. He also said some video footage from that night was missing, or never obtained including video of the corridor during her transfer from the lounge area to the overflow room.

The inquest is expected to hear from shelter staff this week.

Jurors will have the chance to make recommendations at the end of the inquest, however their job is notto find legal or criminal responsibility.

The Yukon government says additional counselling supports will be available during the inquest.

In-person and virtual rapid access counselling appointments can be made by calling 867-456-3838, or toll-free at 1-866-456-3838. In-person counselling will be available in Whitehorse, as well as in Carmacks from April 17-19 and April 22-23.