Woman's body mistaken for mannequin in Sherbrooke, Que. fire and thrown in dumpster
Warning: This story contains details some people may find distressing.
Police in Sherbrooke are investigating a bizarre incident in which first responders appear to have thrown a woman’s burned body in a dumpster after mistaking it for a mannequin.
According to Sherbrooke police chief Danny McConnell, the body was initially believed to be a silicone dummy that had caught fire on the edge of a wooded area near a Cabana St. factory on the morning of July 23. After discussions between police and firefighters, it was decided the best way to dispose of the mannequin was by putting it into a dumpster behind the police station that was not accessible to the public.
Four hours later, a man reported the disappearance of his partner. Police tracked her cell phone and found her vehicle near the scene of the fire. The woman's description matched that of the supposed mannequin.
Police, noting the coincidence, decided at 6:30 p.m. to check the dumpster and discovered the mannequin was, in fact, a body.
The coroner’s office, Crown and independent bureau of investigators (BEI) are all looking into the situation. Police are investigating is as a suspicious death.
In a news conference Thursday afternoon McConnell offered his condolences to the woman’s family.
"We are obviously sorry for this incident and we assure you the family will be advised throughout this investigation," he said.
Sherbrooke fire chief Stephane Simoneau said many firefighters were shocked by the discovery and he is concerned about the psychological toll the situation may cause, adding that he is personally taking on the responsibility to determine what exactly occurred.
"We will shine a light on these events over the next few weeks," he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.