Woman killed in domestic homicide-suicide was subject of concerned calls in days prior: Sask. RCMP
RCMP say they received calls concerning the safety of a 34-year-old woman days before she died in a domestic homicide-suicide at a Saskatchewan campground.
Charlene Aubichon from the Flying Dust First Nation was found dead inside a camper at the Meadow Lake Lions Park campground on Monday.
Aubichon’s estranged husband, Delane Graham, was also found inside with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Aubichon’s family told CTV News.
According to a timeline of events provided by the RCMP, the Meadow Lake detachment received a report about Aubichon four days before she was killed.
THURSDAY, AUG. 26
Around 1 a.m. on Aug. 26, Flying Dust First Nation security contacted the RCMP, saying they received a call from someone worried about the possible harassment of a 34-year-old woman.
Officers located an abandoned truck belonging to Aubichon and Graham, and located an unloaded, non-restricted gun. There was no ammunition in the vehicle.
Neither the woman nor the man had a valid Possession and Acquisition License, said the RCMP.
Later that same morning, Aubichon and another person called Meadow Lake RCMP about applying for a peace bond.
“Information about the process was provided by a police officer. A request for formal statements to police was declined. The officer discussed safety measures and encouraged the two individuals to call police back should they wish to proceed with applying for a peace bond,” reads a statement from the RCMP.
MONDAY, AUG. 30
Police said at 2:10 p.m. on Aug. 30, the Meadow Lake detachment received a request to do a wellness check on the woman. The person who made the report was concerned that she had not returned to work from lunch, and believed she left work with the 34-year-old man – her husband.
Officers called her cellphone three times with no answer.
Then, around 2:45 p.m., the detachment received reports of gunshots at the Lions Park campground, before finding the woman and the man’s bodies in the camper.
A third person was taken to hospital with minor injuries, according to police.
“The incident that occurred in Meadow Lake this week is extremely tragic and our thoughts continue to be with the family of the victim,” said the RCMP in a prepared statement.
“We want to do all we can to help victims of interpersonal violence. If you need help, if you want to speak with someone about an interpersonal violence situation you are in, we encourage you to speak with police. We can help connect you with resources in your area.”
AUBICHON WAS FLEEING ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP
According to Aubichon’s family, she had recently decided to separate from her abusive relationship with Graham.
That’s the most dangerous time for victims of domestic violence, according to the Provincial Association of Transition Houses and Services (PATHS).
“It’s really important for them to reach out,” said Crystal Giesbrecht, director of research and communications.
“We continue to have these rates that are exponentially higher than other regions of Canada, and that’s the same for domestic homicide as well.”
According to Statistics Canada, Saskatchewan has the highest rate of intimate partner violence among the provinces. Saskatchewan’s rate is twice the national average.
“Unfortunately, it’s often a homicide-suicide. There’s often collateral victims, such as children, sometimes co-workers or other family members who are killed,” said Giesbrecht.
“It just shows the tip of the iceberg,” she said. “If they have concerns about someone in their life, I would encourage them to reach out and talk to a service provider in their own community.”
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