Woman found dead in alley mourned
Cause of death still undetermined, could be months before toxicology report is complete, says coroner
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, October 1, 2014
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Yellowknife RCMP say it is not looking for suspects and the public should not fear for their safety after a woman's body was found in an alley behind the Gold Range Hotel early Saturday morning.
This undated photo from Facebook shows Faye Grandjambe. Although not confirmed by RCMP, a published report has identified the 30-year-old Grandjambe as the woman whose body was found early Saturday morning in an alley behind the Gold Range Hotel. - photo courtesy of Facebook |
Faye Kara Grandjambe, 30, has been identified by her sister, Cynthia Grandjambe, as the woman found unresponsive behind the Gold Range Hotel early Saturday morning. She was later pronounced dead at Stanton Territorial Hospital.
Cynthia declined to say anything further about her sister. She said the family will be issuing a statement Wednesday afternoon.
A makeshift memorial, including two sets of flowers has been erected by Cynthia on the wall at the back of the Gold Range Hotel.
Edward Albert, who described Faye as a childhood friend, visited the memorial with Cynthia on Tuesday afternoon.
He told Yellowknifer that he had known Faye since kindergarten.
"She was a good friend and a stand-up kind of girl," he said. "It's really sad that this has happened. Everybody loved her."
Sahtu MLA Norman Yakeleya said he knows the Grandjambe family.
He said he believes Faye was from Fort Good Hope and also spent several years in Norman Wells.
Both communities are in Yakeleya's riding.
Yakeleya said that because it is such a small, tight-knit region, the death is affecting just about everyone.
"We're all sad. We're all in mourning," he said.
"The fact she was only 30 and leaves a nine-year-old son makes this death even more tragic."
Yakeleya said he wasn't going to speculate about how she died but said he too has heard many rumours.
"Although her death may not fall under the criteria of missing and murdered aboriginal females, the government of the Northwest Territories must do more to address violence against women in the aboriginal community," he said.
A post mortem in Edmonton on Monday failed to determine the cause of death.
RCMP spokesperson Const. Elenore Sturko said the investigation is proceeding but the death is still being treated as a "sudden death."
"Our investigation has not uncovered anything untoward in the death," she said.
"At this point there's is no need for the public to be concerned about their safety as it pertains to this investigation. There is no immediate danger to residents because of this incident.
"But we would still like to hear from anyone who has information about the woman and her whereabouts before her death. You can call RCMP if you can help in the investigation or call Crime Stoppers if you want to remain anonymous."
The RCMP likely won't be releasing any more information about the death until officers receive the toxicology report, said Sturko.
She could not say how many officers have been assigned to the case. The yellow crime scene tape came down late Monday afternoon and the area where the body was found has been returned to the Gold Range.
NWT chief coroner Cathy Menard said the post mortem on the body was completed Monday in Edmonton but a cause of death could not be determined.
"We are now awaiting a toxicology report to determine how she died, but that can take three to four months to complete," Menard said.
A toxicology exam can determine whether a person has died from poisoning, prescriptions or illicit drugs or alcohol, she said.
The body has now been released to the family, said Menard.
She said she had no information about when her relatives are going to pick up the body which she believed was still in Edmonton as of Tuesday afternoon.
The death has sparked an intense social media response and has resulted in many rumours about the circumstances surrounding the death.
"We don't deal in rumours," said Sturko.
"We release to the public accurate, fact-based information that's supported by evidence. We don't doddle when releasing information on a given investigation but we don't allow social media to affect or influence what information we release and when we release it."
No information about funeral arrangements have been released publicly.
