Emaciated with a ‘skeletal appearance’: Pathologist testifies at starvation death inquest

More disturbing details emerged Friday at the coroner's inquest into the death of Florence Girard.

A woman with Down syndrome who died of starvation in 2018 while under the care of a non-profit society was emaciated with a skeletal appearance when examined after death.

Those disturbing details were shared by Dr. Jason Doyle at the coroner’s inquest examining the death of Florence Girard — a woman who died while in the care of Astrid Dahl — a care provider working for the non-profit society Kinsight, an organization contracted by the provincial government.

The forensic pathologist who examined Girard’s body following her death went into detail about the level of her malnourishment before she starved to death.

The inquest also heard from Shelley Macfie, a part time home share co-ordinator with the Kinsight.

While on the stand, she acknowledged that she had visited Dahl’s home a number of times in the weeks leading up to Girard’s death – for the purposes of helping another client settle into the home.

Macfie said she had not gone into Girard’s room because Dahl had repeatedly said she either had the flu or was getting over it.

“Apparently, she had had the flu for over a month,” Girard’s sister Sharon Bursey told CTV News on Friday. “That to me would be a reason for me to go and pop my head in. That’s getting paid for a job you’re not doing. And it cost my sister her life.”

Those feelings were echoed by the president of Down syndrome BC.

“No one thought it was weird that they weren’t checking on her,” Tamara Taggart told CTV News.

“There’s just so many levels, and really all it would have taken is for one person to open Florence’s door and see her, and she could be here today. That’s the reality.”

Next week, the inquest continues – with representatives from government agency Community Living BC and the CEO of Kinsight scheduled to appear.