Ottawa police investigating death of Iqaluit woman following fire
Victim’s family raising funds to bring Ottokie Kelly home for the funeral service
The death of 51-year-old Ottokie Kelly, who was originally from Iqaluit, is being investigated by Ottawa police as a homicide. (File photo by Jeff Pelletier)
Ottawa police are investigating the death of 51-year-old Ottokie Kelly from Iqaluit following a fire at a residential building in Ottawa on Oct. 8.
Kelly was critically injured in the blaze and died in a Toronto hospital on Nov. 21, six weeks after the incident, police announced in a Nov. 22 news release.
The fire, which was first investigated as arson, is now being treated as a homicide.
Kelly had been living in Ottawa for about 20 years with her partner, with whom she had been with for 15 years. The fire also left her partner with serious injuries, the release said.
The fire is estimated to have started around 3:45 a.m. in the 1-100 block of Rossland Avenue, in Ottawa’s Nepean area.
Ottawa police responded to the blaze alongside Ottawa Fire Services and Ottawa Paramedic Services, a police news release about the fire, dated Oct. 8, said.
Kelly’s family in Nunavut is fundraising to bring her body home to Iqaluit for a memorial and funeral service by selling 50/50 tickets.
Money raised will help cover the $6,000 needed to have her body released from the hospital, Kelly’s partner said in a statement released the Ottawa Police Service.
The Ottawa Police Service homicide unit is calling on the public to assist in its investigation.
Authorities are asking anyone in the area with a doorbell camera or video surveillance footage of suspicious activity between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. on Oct. 8 to come forward.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ottawa police homicide unit at 613-236-1222, ext. 5493, or via email at homicide@ottawapolice.ca. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at crimestoppers.ca.
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