Family of missing teen found dead demands inquest

KENORA -- The family of the 14-year-old girl whose body was found on April 17 is calling for an inquest into her death.

Grassy Narrows First Nation member Azraya Kokopenace was out past curfew from the home where she was in child welfare custody on April 15 when Ontario Provincial Police officers picked her up and brought her to the Lake of the Woods District Hospital.

Her father, Marlin Kokopenace claims the OPP left Azraya at the hospital. The girl wandered out of the building around midnight and a Winnipeg-based volunteer search team found her body two days later. 

She had taken her own life. 

“We blame the system that took her from us and then failed to care for her,” Marlin said in a release.

“We demand justice and we demand change.”

Marlin argued Azraya was known to have been suicidal following the 2014 death of her 17-year-old brother Calvin from complications related to mercury poisoning in the Wabigoon River system. He said the family wasn't contacted until Azraya was declared missing.

“If she had been at home with her family this wouldn’t have happened,” said Kokopenace, “and if the cops, or CAS, or the hospital, or anyone in the system had cared about her, Azraya would still be with us.”

Darwin Fobister represents the Grassy Narrows Youth Organization and counted himself among Azraya's best friends. He said the police, hospital and child welfare agency "should have been there for her, especially knowing that she was suicidal." 

OPP Kenora is issuing no comment on the issue Tuesday and no one from the Lake of the Woods District Hospital was immediately available for comment.