A mother’s mission for justice and prevention
* Trigger Warning: readers may find the content triggering and/or sensitive. Content includes substance use, overdose and death. If you feel triggered, please contact The Hope for Wellness toll-free Help Line at 1-855-242-3310.
By Leslie Knibbs
SAGAMOK ANISHNAWBEK– Less than one year ago, Charlene Owl from Sagamok Anishnawabek lost her daughter Charisse to a drug overdose. Charisse was 29 years old, and the mother of four children. What follows is an account of a tragedy that is happening far too often across this country.
On Nov. 24, 2020, at 5:30 am, Charlene’s partner Roger answered the phone – taking a call from Charlene’s brother-in-law Brian.
“Something was wrong with Charisse,” he told Roger.
“I quickly got up and put on a sweater, Roger was already out the door and in the truck waiting,” Charlene remembers. “He drove to the residence where Charisse was staying with her partner. As we pulled into the driveway, there was an OPP vehicle and a truck that was running. I proceeded to get out of our truck, and someone stepped out of the truck that was idling, before I could say anything, her mother-in-law said, ‘She’s gone.’”
The coroner was in the house doing the investigation. For six hours, Charlene and others waited outside.
“I just wanted to go in and hold my baby girl. At that time, I didn’t believe she was gone – she just needed me to hold her; [I] had it in my head she just needed her mom and things were going to be alright,” she said. “Finally, when I was able to go inside, I could never imagine I would have to ever see my daughter this way; a tube sticking out of her mouth, and inside a bodybag zipped up to her shoulders. It broke me, I couldn’t even hold her. I wasn’t allowed to touch her; I never had that chance to hold her one last time.”
Studies show people with addictions are attempting to soothe or heal themselves. Drugs provide users feelings of warmth, happiness, and acceptance; describing feeling good in a way they’d never experienced before, motivating them to continue using. During her teenage years, Charisse was violated causing irreparable trauma she carried with her for all of her life according to her mother.
In Canada last year, 4,000 people died from a drug overdose. The deadliest period was from April to June with 1,646 fatalities. Back in 2015 following a large number of overdoses, First Nations Health Authority Chief Medical Officer Dr. Evan Adams warned First Nations about the dangers of Fentanyl.
“Fentanyl is impossible to detect, it is odourless, colourless, tasteless and can lead to overdose,” warned Dr. Adams. “Most overdoses have occurred in individuals who thought they were using heroin, oxycodone, cocaine or another substance, but have mistakenly taken Fentanyl.”
According to the toxicology report, Charisse Owl died from a Fentanyl overdose.
Charlene remembers talking to an Anishinabek Police Services (APS) officer at that time.
“I do recall telling the APS that I wanted the person found and held accountable for killing her.”
Charlene was shocked by his response, according to her, his answer was assigning blame to Charisse.
“You’d think his response would have been, ‘My condolences, Charlene, we will do everything we can to find out what happened.’ Instead, I felt like he was saying she went to Sudbury, bought the drugs, and she’s gone. My world had been crushed that very morning, my baby girl was gone forever, and the words and behaviour made me feel like she didn’t matter, case closed,” she recalled. “That bothered me for weeks, not hearing from our community APS in regards to Charisse’s death, no follow-up; I didn’t even know if there was an investigating officer; if the case was open. I did my own investigating with our community checkpoint, and it was verified that Charisse didn’t leave the community four days prior to her death; so, there is no way she made a drug run to Sudbury. What killed her came from within our community.”
Months came and went with very little to no follow-up in her daughter’s case.
“It has been seven months since my daughter died of an overdose and I have never received any positive follow-up from our community APS.”
Charlene is determined to find justice in her daughter’s death.
“I will not rest until justice is served for my daughter and her children. There is a $5,000.00 reward with information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for Charisse’s death. The person who sold my daughter the Fentanyl needs to be held accountable; nobody has the right to sell such poison that kills. Addiction is hard enough, then to have people who don’t care and respect other beings’ right to life and sell knowing it can take someone’s life,” she expressed. “I received the toxicology report and it took me a couple of weeks to open and read it. I received a verbal explanation of the report from the coroner; I attended a Chief and Council meeting to share the report as I felt it was important to share what drugs are being sold within our community. My daughter died of pure Fentanyl, the purchase that was made that night she took the lethal portion of the drug. My daughter had no chance of survival even if the Naloxone was administered within the time she injected the drug… I never thought I would ever have to bury one of my children before myself, and I will not give up on having justice served for her.”
Naloxone is available in a kit form without a prescription in Canada, so anyone can get it at a participating pharmacy. It is available over the counter just by asking the pharmacist. Kits are available free of charge to anyone at-risk of overdose, as well as to their family and friends.
Charlene has fond memories of her daughter as a little girl.
“Charisse was outgoing and not shy; loved greeting and talking to people. She had a butterfly spirit that carried her in a beautiful growth and was my little angel. God gave me a daughter who meant the world to me, she blessed my life in every way.”
There has been no information from police as to who provided the deadly drug to Charisse; however, according to Charlene, there is information out there.
“I had one of her best friends come to me and share the information and events that took place the night she overdosed. It was confirmed with me who drove her, and who was in that vehicle that took my daughter on that last drug run.”
Anyone with information leading to the arrest of the dealer who sold Charisse the drugs, contact OPP or APS at 1-888-310-1122 or 705-865-2868.
First Nations with substance use challenges have access to services funded by the Government of Canada. For information on residential treatment programs, contact a treatment centre near you.