By Jorge Barrera
APTN National News
In her final hours early Sunday morning, Rocelyn Gabriel desperately tried to flag down passing cars before darting back behind bins at the recycling depot in Portage la Prairie, Man., according to her aunt Loretta Traverse.
Gabriel, 20, entered the depot at about 4:45 a.m. Sunday and was found nearly frozen to death at 8 a.m. in the snow. She later died at the Portage General Hospital.
The RCMP said in a terse statement that Gabriel died from frigid temperatures that morning. The temperature with the wind-chill dropped to -34C at the time. Gabriel was wearing only a sweater when she was found.
The RCMP statement said “foul play is not suspected.”
Gabriel was a recent high school graduate and was planning to study nursing.
Traverse said RCMP investigators who arrived when Gabriel was found did not secure the area as a possible crime scene.
“They did nothing, they did not close off the area. They weren’t doing their jobs and that leads me to believe, well, I don’t like bringing up the Aboriginal fact,” said Traverse. “She was indeed an Aboriginal young lady. She didn’t end up there because she wanted to pass out.”
Traverse said she doesn’t believe Gabriel went to the depot alone.
“Someone took her there,” she said.
Traverse said Gabriel was at a house party the night before she died. Gabriel’s house sits between the house where the party was held and the depot. The location of the house party is about three kilometres from the depot.
“Nobody walks miles through their community to end up at a secluded location, bypassing her home, her cousins, everyone lives there,” said Traverse. “She was cold, she would have knocked on the first door to get that kind of help. She didn’t have that opportunity.”
Gabriel went to the party wearing a coat. Her cousin and sister also attended the party but did not see her leave, said Traverse.
Traverse said she asked RCMP Cpl. Darcy Paul why they weren’t treating the death as suspicious.
“When I asked him why they didn’t do a rape kit or investigate further, his words were, ‘We didn’t think there was a need for that,'” said Traverse. “It’s common sense, if you find a young lady somewhere in an industrial area, I would think that is the first thing you would do.”
Traverse said the RCMP told her they saw footage of Gabriel captured by the depot’s security cameras.
“I am told she hid behind some bins and would run out to try to flag vehicles to stop,” said Traverse.
Traverse also said the RCMP told her that Gabriel’s purse, which contained her cell phone, was found down the road from the depot.
The RCMP requested an autopsy which has not yet been completed.
Traverse said she is frustrated with the RCMP’s initial handling of Gabriel’s case. She said investigators have yet to conduct interviews in relation to the death and that the lead investigator on the file is now on holiday.
A spokesperson for the RCMP said the case is still under investigation, but that the officers’ initial reaction to the scene would have been based on years of experience.
“We have police with a lot of experience who are arriving on scene and they are going with their reaction on that,” said RCMP spokesperson Tara Seel.
Seel said she would be looking into Traverse’s belief that the lead investigator was going on holidays.
Seel said RCMP investigators have interviewed people who were in contact with Gabriel that night before her death.
“There are interviews being done. I can’t confirm how many or who we spoke to,” said Seel.
A candlelight vigil is set for Tuesday at 6 p.m. local time at the depot where Gabriel was found.
On Dec. 24, 2013, Gabriel posted a photo of a highway at dusk on her Facebook page with words inscribed across the front: “Sooner or later the things you love, you lose.”
On Sunday, several of her Facebook friends posted messages of sorrow beneath it.
“Never thought it would be you,” wrote one Facebook friend.
@JorgeBarrera
If this young lady was Caucasian instead of First Nations there would have been an immediate lock down of the crime scene and a search for suspect. Once again, an aboriginal woman getting treated as a 2nd Class citizen. When is this going to stop Mr. Harper?
Wow, how many times must the rcmp be embarrassed by their actions or lack of it?? I still say these cops need to be tested for mental health issues before they are allowed to carry guns.
My heart is heavy as I read this and goes out to the young womans family. Prayers to the family in your time of sorrow, prayers for those with cold & uncaring hearts
Maybe they should hand the investigation over to Traverse since she seems to know so much better than the RCMP.
You don’t run rape kits on every single corpse you find in strange areas….it’s a sad but true fact that intoxicated persons make poor decisions that can cost them their lives.
I’m not saying that’s what happened, but it’s a strongly possible scenario.
these lazy ass cops need to be held accountable for not doing their jobs.. sue the police stations..
“Traverse said she is frustrated with the RCMP’s initial handling of Gabriel’s case. She said investigators have yet to conduct interviews in relation to the death and that the lead investigator on the file is now on holiday.”
This article breaks my heart,..nobody should ever be put on hold because any individual is on holidays,..How dare you,..any of you involved, just let this sit,.,. How many women have perished as a result of you wanting time off..
My job offers me vacation days as well, but I would NEVER take time off when someone’s life was on my watch (past or present),..there should be someone taking over this case,..The interviews & investigation should never cease..
My heart goes out to this poor woman, as well as anyone else who is affected by this horrible crime,.. To those with any power whatsoever, how could you just let this pass?.. Stand up,.. stop being so weak or get out of the job you have and serve burgers.. We need real Women and Men to take on these positions.
How could you vacation, knowing the perp is out there?.. ulk
Wake Up People..fight for your rights..
Our national police force is a farce… With the number of missing and murdered aboriginal women in this country, their attitude just disgusts me.