Quebec coroner to investigate death of Kangirsuk woman

The Quebec coroner’s office has been called in to investigate the death of a Kangirsuk woman on Nov. 16.

According to a statement from the Kativik Regional Government, members of the Kativik Regional Police Force in Kangirsuk were notified at about 5:25 p.m. that a person was missing in the community.

“The KRPF advised the local Canadian Rangers unit and both parties began a search,” the KRG said. “Shortly afterwards, the missing person was found and brought to the CLSC where she was pronounced dead.

“The coroner has been informed of the incident by the KRPF and forwarded all the information concerning the incident. Since this incident occurred in close proximity to an impaired-driving arrest made by the KRPF, all related files have also been turned over to the coroner. The coroner has a mandate to carry out independent and impartial investigations into the causes and circumstances of unusual deaths.”

The KRG did not release the name of the woman, who has been identified by people in the community as Penina Tukkiapik.

Reliable sources in Kangirsuk, who do not wish to be identified, allege Tukkiapik ran away from a vehicle that had been stopped by the KRPF. They say Tukkiapik was intoxicated and not dressed for cold weather at the time.