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Conservative Party of BC Calls for Coroner’s Inquest in the Death of Chantelle Williams

 Chantelle Williams/Facebook


“Somebody has to come out and tell the truth on what happened and who’s at fault” ~~ Martin Watts, Uncle of Chantelle Williams


The Conservative Party of BC is urgently calling for a coroner’s inquest into the death of 18-year-old Indigenous youth Chantelle Williams, who tragically died under the care of Usma Nuu-chah-nulth Family and Child Services, an agency of the Ministry of Children and Family Development. Her family is disturbed by the lack of transparency and unanswered questions surrounding her final moments, and are seeking answers on who was responsible for her care and supervision and why no one noticed she was missing until it was too late.

Chantelle was found unresponsive in Port Alberni in the early morning of January 28, 2025. She was later pronounced dead in the hospital. Temperatures had dropped below –7°C the night of her death. Her family is demanding clarity on the circumstances that led to her untimely passing, and they demand answers as to why the NDP government allowed their family member to freeze to death while under the guardianship of the ministry. Chantelle was found a few blocks from her group home which is managed by Inside Out Care Corporation.

The family’s calls for accountability come in the wake of previous incidents involving the Ministry of Children and Family Development and the numerous deaths of Indigenous children under their care.

“It’s not just about one life lost; it’s about the need for reform to protect other vulnerable children in care,” said Shannon Nookemus, Chantelle’s aunt.

George Nookemus, Chantelle’s grandfather, has also raised questions about the time Chantelle spent in the care of Usma Nuu-chah-nulth Family and Child Services and is calling for an independent inquiry into their practices that he believes led to the death of his granddaughter.

The Conservative Party of BC is deeply concerned about prevailing systemic issues within the provincial child welfare system and the lack of sufficient oversight of care providers. We are committed to seeking justice for Chantelle and we urge the NDP government to release a coroner’s inquest to ensure that the truth is told and those that are responsible for this tragedy can be held to account.

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