BC First Nations Justice Council Stands in Solidarity with Families and Advocates Calling for a Coroner’s Inquest into the Deaths of Tatyanna Harrison, Chelsea Poorman, and Noelle O’Soup

May 5, 2025

Unceded & Ancestral Territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, Vancouver, BC: On this Red Dress Day, the BC First Nations Justice Council (BCFNJC) stands in solidarity with the families of Tatyanna Harrison, Chelsea Poorman, and Noelle O’ Soup, and echoes the urgent call to Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Begg to immediately direct a coroner’s inquest into their tragic and suspicious deaths.

Tatyanna, Chelsea, and Noelle were two young Indigenous women and a girl who went missing in the Lower Mainland between 2020 and 2022. They were later found under deeply troubling and unclear circumstances. Each case is marked by investigative negligence, police inaction, and a broader pattern of systemic racism and gender-based violence that continues to endanger Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQIA+ people across British Columbia and Canada.

Tatyanna was 20 years old. Cree and Métis on her father’s side, she is remembered as being a bright, smart and feisty person who stood up for the little guys and what she believed in. Chelsea, 24 years old, loved animals, cared for the environment, and had a passion for fashion and design. She was a member of Kawacatoose First Nation, and her loved ones remember her as being kind and positive, no matter what was going on. Noelle was from Key First Nation (Saskatchewan) and Saulteau First Nation (British Columbia) and was only 13 years old at the time of her passing. She was a special gift to her mother after having only boys and was named Noelle because she was born on Christmas day.

“Tatyana, Chelsea, and Noelle were beloved souls whose lives were cruelly cut short. Our justice system has failed them, in life and in death, and a coroner’s inquest is a necessary and immediate step toward accountability, transparency, and justice,” stated Kory Wilson, BCFNJC Chair. “We call on the Province to act with urgency, integrity, and in the spirit of the Calls for Justice and their own stated commitments to reconciliation. BCFNJC will continue to stand in solidarity with survivors, family members, advocates, Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals to ensure their voices are heard. We are committed to achieving better justice outcomes for them through the development of the Indigenous Women’s Justice Plan that builds on key recommendations and reports, including the MMIWG2S+ Calls for Justice, the Red Women Rising Report, and the Highway of Tears Symposium Report.”

BCFNJC stands with the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) in urging Minister Begg to use his authority under Section 19(a) of the Coroners’ Act to direct a joint coroner’s inquest. This mechanism is vital for uncovering the truth in Tatyana, Chelsea, and Noelle’s cases, restoring public confidence in the coroner’s system, and holding institutions accountable for the pervasive violence that Indigenous women and girls face.

“An inquest into all three cases is necessary to uphold public confidence, ensure accountability, and fulfill BC’s human rights obligations – particularly under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples” stated Dr. Judith Sayers, BCFNJC Director. “The refusal by authorities to treat their deaths as suspicious, despite troubling circumstances and unanswered questions, underscores a broader crisis of impunity and institutional failure. The deaths of Tatyanna, Chelsea and Noelle are not isolated tragedies, but symptoms of a systemic and unresolved injustice. Their families and loved ones have had to endure painful grief and uncertainty while waiting for answers for far too long, and we need to ensure police remain accountable to their role in determining if any criminal activity was involved in their deaths”

BCFNJC supported Sheila Poorman, Chelsea’s mother, in 2022 and continues to stand with her and the families of Tatyanna Harrison and Noelle O’ Soup. Recognizing that their cases reveal persistent patterns of systemic discrimination, investigative negligence, and institutional indifference, a coroner’s inquest is in the public’s interest. The systemic failures highlighted in these cases mirror the findings of numerous inquiries and investigations – from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, to the Oppal Inquiry, to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights – that document deep-rooted institutional racism and discrimination within policing, child welfare, and justice systems in BC and Canada.

About the BCFNJC

The BC First Nations Justice Council has been entrusted with the mandate to transform the justice system and create better outcomes for Indigenous people through implementation of the BC First Nations Justice Strategy.

The strategy, signed March 06, 2020, was jointly developed by the BC First Nations Justice Council, BC First Nations communities and the Province of British Columbia. It includes 43 actions along two paths which involve the reformation of the current system as well as the restoration of First Nations’ legal traditions and structures.

Media Contact:

BC First Nations Justice Council
Email: communications@bcfnjc.com

NT5