Two-year-old girl's death prompts calls for improved health care in northern Manitoba

A Manitoba family says better health care is needed in northern Manitoba communities following the death of a two-year-old girl.

Santaya Tyo-Greyeyes died at the end of last month in Norway House Cree Nation.

On June 27, Santaya’s mother, Angel Tyo, brought her daughter to a clinic in the community. The young girl had a fever, was throwing up and was having trouble breathing.

“They didn’t triage her, so they didn’t open a file for her,” said Bernadette Smith, Tyo’s sister, at a news conference on Thursday.

Smith explained her sister was told to take her daughter home, give her Tylenol, and to watch her symptoms. Tyo followed these instructions and monitored her daughter’s condition through the night.

On June 28, Santaya’s mom checked on her during a nap and found she was not breathing. The family rushed her to the hospital where she died.

Smith, who is the MLA for Point Douglas, said the family believes Santaya’s death is the result of a lack of health care in northern communities.

“Santaya should’ve been triaged. A nurse should’ve looked at her, a doctor. They should’ve assessed her breathing,” she said.

“They did none of that and it resulted in my sister losing her daughter and Jeff [Santaya’s dad] losing his daughter.”

Smith said the family has been working with Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Inc. (MKO), the First Nations Children’s Advocate, and the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth to open active investigation.

“Because Santaya wasn’t triaged there was no paper trail of her being at the hospital, but there is video footage that they do keep at this clinic,” she said.

“So we ask the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth to hopefully secure that footage.”

Smith noted the family has heard from other people about not receiving adequate health care in the north.

“We need better health care, and we also are going to be fighting for justice for Santaya,” she said.

“She doesn’t have a voice, so we have to be her voice now.”

Santaya Tyo-Greyeyes is pictured in an undated image (source: Sabrina Leister)

In a statement, Grand Chief Garrison Settee of the MKO said he sends his sincere condolences to Santaya’s family and community.

“Our hearts are heavy when we lose a child,” he said.

Settee added that his office has been in contact with the family, and will look for answers around the girl’s death. He said they need to know if and where the hail system failed Santaya to make sure no other children are harmed.

“Our health care system is broken. Provincial and federal governments need to take immediate action to rectify and improve health services in our First Nations,” he said.

Settee said the MKO is committed to working with the provincial and federal government to strengthen the health-care system.

He noted the organization will be partnering with other Indigenous organizations to ensure Santaya’s family finds the appropriate resources and supports.

The Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth released a statement to CTV Winnipeg on Friday.

“The Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth receives notification of all deaths involving young persons under the age of 21 in Manitoba," a spokesperson said. "We can confirm this matter falls in scope based on the Advocate for Children in Youth Act, but this is all we can confirm at this time.”

A spokesperson with Indigenous Services Canada offered condolences to the family for the loss, and said the department works to ensure health care needs are met in First Nations Communities.

“We are aware of the concerns raised about care provided at the Health Centre and Community Clinic in Norway House Cree Nation, and we are working with partners to examine this incident under ISC’s incident management policy. We cannot comment further on any potential actions at this time,” the spokesperson said.