'We failed': Manitoba health authority admits to error that led to burial mix-up

WINNIPEG -

A northern Manitoba First Nations community and the province's health authority are searching for answers after a family received -- and buried -- the remains of the wrong person.

"Shared Health accepts full responsibility for this error," Lanette Siragusa, the CEO of the provincial health agency, told reporters Friday.

"It is our job to provide dignity, respect and compassion to all those who come into our care as well as to their loved ones. In this instance, we failed.

"For that I offer, my sincere apologies to the family and community members."

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Siragusa said they have launched an internal investigation to determine not only what caused the error but also the steps needed to ensure it doesn't happen again.

Shared Health confirmed Friday the body was under the care of the organization while an autopsy was taking place in Winnipeg in late July.

The body was then released to a funeral home, and then to the family.

A subsequent check alerted health officials to the mistake, but the body had already been buried.

A preliminary investigation found that there were gaps on how remains are tracked in and out of the morgue, said Siragusa.

The probe also found two other recent incidents where bodies were incorrectly signed out of Shared Health's facilities and transported to a funeral home. Siragusa said the errors were caught in time.

The authority has already made some changes to prevent further mistakes. It has restricted access to its morgues while also limiting who may be able to sign out a body to a funeral home.

Shared Health is also in the process of seeking an external review to look at current procedures and recommend additional ones.

Siragusa said Shared Health will pay for exhuming the remains and for a new funeral.

The leader of Pimicikamak Cree Nation in northern Manitoba confirmed the family involved is from their community.

Chief David Monias said the body that was supposed to be sent up north was of Keith Wilson, 44, who was found in the Jack River in July near Norway House Cree Nation. Wilson had been reported missing in late June.

Monias said the family and leadership were notified of the error this week.

"We were just in shock in terms of what happened and in disbelief. Angry, of course," Monias said in a phone interview. "We proceeded to ask a whole bunch of questions in terms of what happened. Why did this happen? How could this happen?"

He said the family had a wake in Pimicikamak and the burial was held in Norway House. It was a closed casket, Monias said, so the family was not aware they were burying the wrong person.

Monias said he hopes to see a full investigation done along with support for the family.

"(They're) being thrown back into the trauma," he said.

"How do you compensate that?"

   This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 16, 2024.