Grieving Montreal father visits site of daughter's death every day for weeks to push for answers
Every day, for nearly a month, Cuma Caya has been sitting at a Saint-Michel street corner in a memorial for his late daughter, who was struck and killed by a truck there in June.
"I just want someone responsible for the investigation to come and see me here," he said on Tuesday. A picture of his daughter Dilan is taped to the city pole at the corner of 22nd Ave. and Belaire St., where the accident occurred weeks before.
On June 22, at around 4:30 p.m., police received a 911 call reporting a young woman had been crossing the street when a large truck turned and hit her. At the age of 22, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police are still investigating the crash weeks later and have not laid any charges against the driver, a 54-year-old man.
Reached by CTV News on Tuesday, Montreal police did not provide an update on the investigation, which is still ongoing.
Caya is desperate to speak to police, who he says have not reached out to him. He says he's still not sure of just what happened that day.
"Come and explain it to me," he said. "How does it work? How does a woman die in the street?"
CTV asked police whether anyone had spoken to Caya. A spokesperson responded to refuse the request, again citing the ongoing investigation.
However, they did say that it's standard practice to communicate with victims' close family during and after the investigation.
"Montreal police … would like to express its most sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of Ms. Dilan Caya," wrote spokesperson Anik de Repentigny.
Caya says his daughter was studying healthcare and was preparing to attend university next year.
LONG-STANDING SAFETY CONCERNS
Residents have, for months, raised safety concerns about the intersection.
"I heard people in the cars screaming because they just saw what happened. I heard police, I saw police coming," said Adrienne Desrosiers. Her four-year-old son attends daycare steps away from the crash site.
"I live close by and have made multiple complaints to the city before that accident happened," she told CTV. "Traffic was too busy for a small street like that."
In the year and a half leading up to the accident, the borough says it received several requests from residents to make the area safer for pedestrians.
Major road work on Pie-IX, just north of where Dilan was struck, has redirected traffic. The borough says it made several adjustments to nearby neighbourhood roads to limit heavy traffic through the area, especially large trucks.
Only local delivery trucks are allowed to turn in from Pie-IX, the speed limit is just 30 km/h, and there are new speed bumps installed to slow traffic; Those are just a few of a long list of safety measures introduced by the borough since construction began.
Even still, Desrosiers says she routinely sees large trucks rumbling through her neighbourhood.
"I see them every day -- at least 20 trucks that are not supposed to be on the streets," she said.
Caya says his vigil should also raise awareness about road safety, and that he'll continue to visit the site each day until he's satisfied with the investigation. His daughter was 22 years old when she died, and he says he's prepared to spend 22 years waiting for answers.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadians feel grocery inflation getting worse, two in five boycotting Loblaw: poll
Almost two-thirds of Canadians feel that inflation at the grocery store is getting worse, a new poll suggests, even as food inflation has been steadily cooling.
Norway, Ireland and Spain say they are recognizing a Palestinian state in a historic move
Norway, Ireland and Spain said on Wednesday they are recognizing a Palestinian state, in a historic but largely symbolic move that deepens Israel’s isolation more than seven months into its grinding war against Hamas in Gaza.
NEW How to remove ticks and what to know about these bloodsuckers
Ticks are parasitic bloodsuckers, capable of spreading deadly disease, and they’re becoming increasingly common. Here’s what you need to know about them.
opinion Joe Biden uses bully pulpit to bully Donald Trump on debates
Donald Trump had spent weeks needling U.S. President Joe Biden for his refusal to commit to a debate. But Washington political columnist Eric Ham describes how in one fell swoop, Biden ingeniously stole the issue from the Trump campaign and made it his own.
Ontario mother loses $2,500 to text scammer pretending to be daughter
An Ontario mother lost $2,500 to a scammer pretending to be her daughter asking for help in late April.
Montreal photographer captures dramatic Canada goose vs. fox fight on video
A Montreal photographer captured the moment a Canada goose defended itself from a fox at the Botanical Garden.
From AI running wild to collapsing ecosystems, government report outlines future disruptions
From artificial intelligence running wild to collapsing ecosystems, a new Canadian government report outlines 35 disruptions that could rattle the country in the near future.
opinion Tom Mulcair: With Trudeau spiralling, Mark Carney waits in the wings
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair argues that if there's an unofficial frontrunner in the eventual race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, it has to be former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.
Police in Ontario say suspects charged in armed home invasion near Toronto part of 'larger criminal network'
Police in Ontario say a group of suspects charged in an armed home invasion north of Toronto last year were driving a vehicle stolen in a carjacking in Calgary just one month earlier.