By Canadian Press

Quebec coroner says more diligent police search could have saved life of Cree teen

Oct 16, 2023 | 2:09 PM

MONTREAL — A Quebec coroner says the death of a 16-year-old girl might have been prevented had police spent more than 10 minutes looking for her. 

Neebin Icebound died of hypothermia Oct. 9, 2022, in the Cree community of Waswanipi, about 490 kilometres northwest of Quebec City.

Coroner Karine Spénard says police received a report shortly before 4:30 a.m. that day of a partially naked woman lying on the ground near an elementary school.

Spénard says it’s astonishing the search for the teenager lasted 10 minutes and that Cree and provincial police — as well as the province’s police ethics commissioner — should review how officers responded.

Icebound would be found by passersby around two hours later, about 200 metres from where police had been looking.

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Spénard says Icebound had been drinking with friends, who left her behind when she fell in a ditch. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2023. 

The Canadian Press