Family of Wolastoqey inmate who died of COVID-19 is demanding answers

The family of a 28-year-old Wolastoqey man who died from COVID-19 while an inmate of the Saint John provincial jail wants to know how he could have died while in custody. 

"We want to get down to the bottom of how this happened while in the custody of the justice system. So we will be, as a nation, requesting and demanding some answers from all those involved," said Chief Ross Perley, speaking on behalf of the family of Skyler Sappier. 

Sappier, a member of the Neqotkuk First Nation, formerly known as Tobique First Nation, was serving a sentence at the Saint John Regional Correctional Centre when he became ill. 

Perley said family members have been told that Sappier had been ill for a few days before he was finally taken to the hospital on Saturday. He died on Sunday. 

A news release from the Department of Justice and Public Safety confirms that an inmate was transported to hospital on Saturday and died on Sunday. They did not name the man or give a cause of death. 

"Neither foul play nor self-harm are suspected. As per policy, the Office of the Coroner has been advised," according to the release. 

Responding to followup questions by email, department spokesperson Geoffrey Downey wrote, "Details of the individual's health history are protected under Personal Health Information Privacy and Access Act legislation."

Perley said the family hasn't been told much more.

"They have received no information," Perley said. "The facility has refused to give the family any information on the events leading up to Skyler's death or information around his condition.

"All we know is that he was sick for days leading up to his death and wasn't transported to a medical facility. And his fellow inmates said that he was having a hard time breathing during this period."

Perley said they would like to see medical reports documenting Sappier's condition while in custody.

He also said "racism could have played a factor in the decisions of those in charge at the facility."

Perley said the family hasn't indicated that Sappier had any underlying conditions and he was fully-vaccinated and had a booster. 

Joanne Barlow found out about Sappier's death from his sister, Leah.

Barlow, an outreach volunteer for the Fredericton-based We Care Centre, got to know Sappier about four years ago through her work. 

She said he had struggled with addiction over the years, most recently with crystal meth. That's why she was almost relieved to hear that he had been sent to jail. At least he would be away from the drug scene, and warm and fed, she said.

"I honestly thought the streets would … be the thing that would kill him — or his addiction," said Barlow. 

"I mean, he went in there healthy and safe, and he didn't come back out."

She, too, believes there should be an investigation into his death. 

"When somebody's sick like that and they're asking for help and they can't breathe — somebody needs to be held accountable for that. That's sad. He was asking for help and he did not get the help that he needed."

Barlow said Sappier was "very nice, quiet, polite," and he was always grateful for the help that he received from her and her group. She said she and Sappier developed "a bond," and he called her Mommy B. 

"It's heartbreaking," she said. 

Jails bring in extra personnel

Chris Curran, president of Local 1251, which includes correctional officers, says COVID outbreaks in New Brunswick jails are hitting inmates and staff alike. At one point recently, about 40 per cent of correctional officers were off, he said. 

The situation is so bad that the staff are being borrowed from other parts of the Department of Justice and Public Safety.

Last Friday, the union signed a "mobility agreement" that would see sheriff's officers brought in to help with some of the workload, Curran said.

"If we we're signing a mobility agreement to allow sheriff's to come in to assist, then that speaks volumes [about the situation]," he said.