Murder charge laid in death of Pond Inlet mother of 4

Joanne Nutarak was quiet, considerate and didn’t complain.

And she had a beautiful smile, says her longtime friend, Joanna Innualuk-Kunnuk.

The 31-year-old mother of four died on April 8 under what RCMP in Pond Inlet initially termed as “suspicious” circumstances.

Late Thursday afternoon, RCMP announced a Pond Inlet man has been charged with second-degree murder in Nutarak’s death.

Daryl Quaraq, 33, will appear in court on May 30 in Iqaluit.

In a news release, police did not say whether Quaraq and Nutarak knew each other or if there was a relationship between the two.

Nutarak was transported to Pond Inlet’s health centre on April 8. She died there after receiving CPR.

Police have not said what sort of injuries Nutarak suffered.

Innualuk-Kunnuk said she heard about Nutarak’s death pretty much right after it happened, because news travels quickly in the community of 1,500.

She said the entire hamlet was in shock following Nutarak’s death.

“She meant so much to our community of Pond Inlet, her kids, relatives, her friends and everyone she knew,” she said.

“We have lost a person that meant so much to us and that hurts in every which way.”

Innualuk-Kunnuk was in Iqaluit when Nutarak flew to Qikiqtani General Hospital last month to give birth to her youngest child.

She wants Nutarak to be remembered as a beautiful, happy person with a soft-spoken voice full of laughter and giggles.

“We are totally heartbroken,” she said.

“It hurts so much.”

Nutarak’s aunt, Fiona Aglak, shared similar sentiments when reached by Nunatsiaq News on Thursday.

Aglak, who also lives in Pond Inlet, recently spent a month in Ottawa with Nutarak, acting as a medical escort when Nutarak was 32 weeks pregnant.

“She was a very kind, loving lady who loved her children so much,” she said. “I want people to know she was full of love. So caring and loving.”

Aglak said she is not sure when a funeral is planned for Nutarak.