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
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.